Manganese shows variable oxidation states. Give reasons.
Answer»
Manganese (25Mn) has electronic configuration. 25Mn [Ar]183d54s2.
Mn has stable half-filled d-subshell.
Due to a small difference in energy between 3d and 4s-orbitals, Mn can lose or share electrons from both the orbitals, hence shows variable oxidation states.
Mn shows oxidation states ranging from + 2 to + 7.