Explain the following: Transition elements tend to be unreactive with increasing atomic number in the series.
Answers
Answered by
1
This is a question on the nuclear force of attraction.
The higher the atomic number the greater the nuclear force of attraction.
When the nuclear force of attraction is high, the energy levels are pulled towards the nucleus
When the energy levels are pulled towards the nucleus, the electrons are also pulled towards the center.
This makes lose of electrons to be minimal and hence reaction by loss of electrons is not possible.
Again most of their outer energy levels are complete meaning they can't react by gaining electrons and again they would need a lot of activation energy to lose the valence electrons.
Hence the more the atomic number the less reactive the element becomes.
Similar questions