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In which one of the following compounds does the transition metal display the lowest oxidation state? A - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 1 - 2007 - Paper 1
Question 1
In which one of the following compounds does the transition metal display the lowest oxidation state? A. CrO₃ B. Cu₂S C. MnCl₂ D. K₂Cr₂O₇
Worked Solution & Example Answer:In which one of the following compounds does the transition metal display the lowest oxidation state? A - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 1 - 2007 - Paper 1
Step 1
Identify the oxidation states in each compound
Answer
To find the lowest oxidation state of the transition metals in each compound, we need to calculate the oxidation states for each transition metal.
- CrO₃: Chromium (Cr) has an oxidation state of +6. (O is -2, thus 3O = -6, and Cr must be +6 to balance.)
- Cu₂S: Copper (Cu) is typically +1 in this sulfide, giving it the lowest oxidation state of +1 since S is -2 (2Cu = +2)
- MnCl₂: Manganese (Mn) has an oxidation state of +2, as each Cl is -1 (thus 2Cl = -2, and Mn must be +2 to balance).
- K₂Cr₂O₇: In potassium dichromate, chromium has an oxidation state of +6 (similar to CrO₃).
From these calculations, Cu in Cu₂S displays the lowest oxidation state.
Step 2