Question

GeX4 is more stable than GeX2 ehereas PbX2 is more stable than PbX4 . why?

Answer 1

GeX4 is more stable than GeX2 because GeX4 is more powerful and stronger than GeX2. PbX2 is more powerful than PbX4

Answer 2

Answer:

As we know Germenium Ge has the ground state electron configuration of 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s2, 3d10, 4p2

Now in the condition of GeX2 the two electrons are removed from the p shell,

and in case of GeX4 the more two electrons are removed from 4s shell because it has low energy than d shell and the rest configuration remains same .

Now according to the question GeX4 is more stable because it does not have a full valence so it is unfilled valance so GeX4 is more stable than GeX2.

On the other hand,

in pbx2 , oxidation state of pb =+2  

and pbx4 , oxidation state of pb =+4  

we know ,

oxidation state of +2 is more stable than +4 . due to inert pair effect.