Question

The reason for the greater range of oxidation states in actinoids is attributed to:

• A. Actinoid contraction
• B. \( 5f, 6d \) and \( 7s \) levels having comparable energies
• C. \( 4f \) and \( 5d \) levels being close in energies
• D. The radioactive nature of actinoids

Hint:

Actinoids show more oxidation states than lanthanoids due to the comparable energy levels of \( 5f, 6d, \) and \( 7s \) orbitals.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding oxidation states in actinoids.
- Actinoids exhibit variable oxidation states due to the involvement of \( 5f, 6d, \) and \( 7s \) orbitals in bonding.
- The energy difference between these orbitals is small, allowing easy promotion of electrons to higher energy states.
Step 2: Comparing actinoids with lanthanoids.
- In lanthanoids, \( 4f \) electrons are more strongly bound, leading to fewer oxidation states.
- In actinoids, the \( 5f \) electrons are more delocalized, leading to a wider range of oxidation states.