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| 1. |
Although +3 oxidation state is the characteristic oxidation state of lanthanoids but cerium shows +4 oxidation state also. Why? |
| Answer» SOLUTION :The electronic CONFIGURATION of Ce is `-4f^(1)5d^(1)6s^(2)`. Usually `5d^(1)` and `6s^(2)` electrons are lost by the lanthanoids in their REACTIONS i.e., they exhibit +3 oxidation STATES. But Ce exhibit +4 oxidation state also because it gains extra stability by losing `4f^(1)` electron because it will give rise to completely filled ORBITALS. | |