Question Details

The element which show only one oxidation state other than its elemental form is :

Options

A

Titanium

B

Nickel

C

Scandium

D

Cobalt

Show Answer

Correct Answer :

Option C

Scandium

Scandium

Solution :

The correct answer is Scandium.

Step-by-Step Explanation:

1. Variable Oxidation States in Transition Metals:
Transition metals (d-block elements) typically exhibit variable oxidation states. This is because the energy difference between the (n-1)d orbitals and the ns orbital is very small, allowing electrons from both subshells to participate in bond formation.

2. Electronic Configuration and Stability of Scandium (Sc):
Scandium has an atomic number of 21. Its ground-state electronic configuration is:
Sc=[Ar]3d14s2
To achieve chemical stability, Scandium easily loses its two 4s electrons and one 3d electron. Losing these three electrons results in a stable, closed-shell noble gas configuration corresponding to Argon ([Ar]):
Sc3+=[Ar]
Because the noble gas core is extremely stable, it is highly unfavorable to remove further electrons, and because losing fewer than three electrons does not yield a stable configuration, Scandium does not exhibit intermediate oxidation states like +1 or +2. Therefore, the only oxidation state Scandium shows (other than 0 in its elemental form) is +3.

3. Comparison with Other Options:
- Titanium (Ti): Has the electronic configuration [Ar]3d24s2 and exhibits multiple oxidation states such as +2, +3, and +4.
- Nickel (Ni): Has the electronic configuration [Ar]3d84s2 and exhibits multiple oxidation states including +2, +3, and +4.
- Cobalt (Co): Has the electronic configuration [Ar]3d74s2 and shows variable oxidation states such as +2, +3, and +4.

Consequently, Scandium is the only element among the choices that exhibits only a single oxidation state (+3) other than its elemental state.

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