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Transition Metals

Formation of Coloured Ions and the d-d Transition

  • 3 things to know
  • Papers 1 and 3

Overview

Splitting of the d sub-shell, the d-d transition, and what changes the colour.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Why do transition metal complexes appear coloured?

Key term

What is a d-d transition?

Key term

What happens to electrons during a d-d transition?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Why do transition metal complexes appear coloured?

    Model answer

    Light is absorbed when electrons undergo d-d transitions, and the transmitted/reflected light gives the observed colour

  2. 2

    What is a d-d transition?

    Model answer

    The promotion of an electron from a lower energy d orbital to a higher energy d orbital

  3. 3

    What happens to electrons during a d-d transition?

    Model answer

    An electron absorbs energy and moves from a d orbital of lower energy to a d orbital of higher energy

  4. 4

    Why must d orbitals be partially filled for a complex to be coloured?

    Model answer

    If d orbitals are empty, there are no electrons to promote; if d orbitals are full, there is no space for electrons to be promoted into

  5. 5

    What causes the d orbitals in a transition metal complex to have different energy levels?

    Model answer

    The presence of ligands causes the d orbitals to split into different energy levels

  6. 6

    What determines the specific colour observed for a transition metal complex?

    Model answer

    The size of the energy gap between the split d orbitals, which determines the frequency of light absorbed

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