Question 1

What is the maximum oxidation state expected for vanadium?
A) +5
B) +2
C) +3
D) +6
E) +4

Accepted Answer

The maximum oxidation state expected for vanadium is +5, which occurs because vanadium has five electrons in its outer shell (3d^3 4s^2) that it can lose or share when forming compounds.

Question 2

Which of the following elements has the ground state electron configuration [Xe]4f¹⁴5d⁶6s². A) Iridium B) Tantalum C) Osmium D) Ruthenium E) Gold

Accepted Answer

The ground state electron configuration given has the [Xe] noble gas configuration, followed by the filling of the 4f, 5d, 6s, and 6p orbitals. Only Osmium (Os) has the correct number of electrons to match this configuration. The other elements have different numbers of electrons in their 4f, 5d, and/or 6p orbitals.

Question 3

The white in most white paints comes from ________. A) TiO₂ B) CdS C) Fe₄[Fe(CN)₆]₃ ⋅14 H₂O D) KMnO₄ E) AgI

Accepted Answer

The white in most white paints comes from the pigment titanium dioxide (TiO₂).

Question 4

Iron, _____, and sulfur form the reactive portion of nitrogenase, a biological catalyst used by nitrogen-fixing organisms.
A) calcium
B) cobalt
C) zinc
D) cadmium
E) molybdenum

Accepted Answer

Iron, molybdenum, and sulfur form the reactive portion of nitrogenase.

Question 5

If an element can be obtained profitably from a mineral, the mineral is called a(n) _____.
A) gangue
B) ore
C) slag
D) roast
E) alloy

Accepted Answer

An ore is a mineral that can be extracted and processed profitably to obtain a desired element. Gangue refers to the waste material that surrounds an ore deposit and is typically discarded during extraction. Slag is the waste material produced during the smelting or refining of ores. Roast refers to a process in which an ore is heated in the presence of oxygen to convert a sulfide mineral to an oxide, making it easier to extract the desired element. Alloy refers to a mixture of two or more metals. Out of these options, only "ore" refers specifically to a mineral that can be economically extracted to obtain a desired element.

Question 6

Which of the following is not a transition-metal?
A) scandium
B) gold
C) vanadium
D) silver
E) magnesium

Accepted Answer

Transition metals are defined as elements in the d-block of the periodic table. Scandium, gold, vanadium, silver are all in the d-block and therefore transition metals. Magnesium is in the s-block and is not a transition metal.

Question 7

Which of the following pairs of d-block metals will have approximately the same atomic radii owing to the lanthanide contraction?
A) Iron and ruthenium
B) Ruthenium and rhodium
C) Ruthenium and osmium
D) Osmium and iridium
E) Cobalt and nickel

Accepted Answer

Ruthenium and osmium are neighboring elements in the d-block and therefore have similar atomic radii. This is due to the lanthanide contraction, which occurs when the atomic radii of the elements in the lanthanide series are significantly smaller than expected due to the increased electron shielding of the 4f orbitals. This contraction affects the d-block elements following the lanthanide series and results in a smaller atomic radius for osmium compared to what would be expected based on its position in the periodic table. Therefore, C is the correct choice because these two elements have similar atomic radii due to the lanthanide contraction.

Question 8

Consider the ions Co²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Fe³⁺. Which among them has/have an [Ar]3d⁵ electron configuration? A) Co²⁺ only B) Mn²⁺ only C) Fe³⁺ only D) Co²⁺ and Fe³⁺ E) Mn²⁺ and Fe³⁺

Accepted Answer

An [Ar]3d⁵ electron configuration requires that the atom have 5 electrons in the d-orbital. The ions Co²⁺ and Mn²⁺ both have only 4 d-electrons, while Fe³⁺ has 5 d-electrons. Therefore, the only ion(s) out of the options given that can have an [Ar]3d⁵ electron configuration is Fe³⁺. The correct answer is E.

Question 9

Which of the following ions is responsible for the red color of ruby (gemstone)? A) Mn²⁺ B) Zr⁴⁺ C) Pd²⁺ D) Cr³⁺ E) Ti⁴⁺

Accepted Answer

The red color in ruby is caused by the presence of chromium ions (Cr3+), which absorb yellow and green light and reflect back red light.

Question 10

Which of the following is the valence shell orbital box notation for the ground state electron configuration of Mn? 
     $3 \mathrm {~d}$$\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad4 \mathrm {~s}$
A) 
B) 
C) 
D) 
E)

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is the valence...

Question 11

The product of the oxidation of iron in most soil in the absence of excess oxygen is black magnetite. The chemical formula of this compound is ____. A) FeO B) FeO₂ C) Fe₂O₃ D) Fe₃O₂ E) Fe₃O₄

Accepted Answer

The answer of The product of the oxidation of iron...

Question 12

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the transition metals?
A) variable oxidation state
B) compounds that contain their ions are often colored
C) valence electrons in a d subshell
D) high electronegativity
E) the ability to form complex ions

Accepted Answer

Transition metals generally have lower electronegativity values compared to non-metals and some other metals.

Question 13

Ores are often found mixed with impurities, such as sand and clay. In metallurgy, these impurities are called _____.
A) gangue
B) alloys
C) slag
D) roasts
E) precipitates

Accepted Answer

The impurities mixed with ores in metallurgy are called gangue.

Question 14

Which element from the first transition series does NOT react with hydrochloric acid?
A) titanium
B) chromium
C) cobalt
D) nickel
E) copper

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which element from the first transition series...

Question 15

What is the total number of electrons in p orbitals in a ground-state cobalt atom?
A) 6
B) 18
C) 12
D) 24
E) 30

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the total number of electrons...

Question 16

Which element has the following ground state electron configuration? 3d 4s
[Ar] 
A) Ti
B) Fe
C) V
D) Co
E) Ni

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which element has the following ground state...

Question 17

Which element has the highest density?
A) Zn
B) Y
C) Os
D) Fe
E) Ag

Accepted Answer

Os (osmium) has the highest density of any naturally occurring element at 22.59 g/cm3.

Question 18

How many unpaired electrons are found in the ground state electron configuration of bohrium (Bh)?
A) 5
B) 0
C) 1
D) 2
E) 3

Accepted Answer

Bohrium (Bh) has an atomic number of 107, placing it in the d-block of the 7th period in the periodic table. Its electron configuration ends in 5f^14 6d^5 7s^2, following the Aufbau principle. The five electrons in the 6d subshell are unpaired, resulting in five unpaired electrons in its ground state.

Question 19

Which of the following salts would not be expected to have unpaired d-electrons? A) NiCl₂ B) CoCl₂ C) MnCl₂ D) TiCl₃ E) ZnCl₂

Accepted Answer

Zn (Zinc) has a completely filled d-orbital (10 electrons) in its ground state. Therefore, it would not have any unpaired d-electrons in its salts.

Question 20

The calcium silicate formed in the blast furnace reduction of iron ore is called ____.
A) charge
B) gangue
C) pig iron
D) flux
E) slag

Accepted Answer

Calcium silicate formed in the blast furnace reduction of iron ore is called slag.

Quiz 23: The Chemistry of the Transition Elements

What is the maximum oxidation state expected for vanadium?

Which of the following elements has the ground state electron configuration [Xe]4f¹⁴5d⁶6s².

The white in most white paints comes from ________.

Iron, _____, and sulfur form the reactive portion of nitrogenase, a biological catalyst used by nitrogen-fixing organisms.

If an element can be obtained profitably from a mineral, the mineral is called a(n) _____.

Which of the following is not a transition-metal?

Which of the following pairs of d-block metals will have approximately the same atomic radii owing to the lanthanide contraction?

Consider the ions Co²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Fe³⁺. Which among them has/have an [Ar]3d⁵ electron configuration?

Which of the following ions is responsible for the red color of ruby (gemstone) ?

Which of the following is the valence shell orbital box notation for the ground state electron configuration of Mn? $3 \mathrm {~d}$ $\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad4 \mathrm {~s}$

The product of the oxidation of iron in most soil in the absence of excess oxygen is black magnetite. The chemical formula of this compound is ____.

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the transition metals?

Ores are often found mixed with impurities, such as sand and clay. In metallurgy, these impurities are called _____.

Which element from the first transition series does NOT react with hydrochloric acid?

What is the total number of electrons in p orbitals in a ground-state cobalt atom?

Which element has the following ground state electron configuration? 3d 4s [Ar]

Which element has the highest density?

How many unpaired electrons are found in the ground state electron configuration of bohrium (Bh) ?

Which of the following salts would not be expected to have unpaired d-electrons?

The calcium silicate formed in the blast furnace reduction of iron ore is called ____.