The inner transition elements. Their configurations and oxidation states, the lanthanoid contraction and its effects, and what both series are used for.
3 lessons, about 2 h6 simulations11 problems6 practice questionsPython in every lesson
Created by StemPy LabA lighter flint, the magnet in a pair of earphones and the red glow of an old television all use elements from the two rows under the periodic table. This lesson shows how the 4f subshell fills, how many unpaired electrons each ion has, and why the usual state is +3 while a few elements also show +2 or +4.
Hafnium has thirty-two more protons than zirconium, yet its atom is no bigger. The reason is that fourteen electrons went into a subshell that shields badly. This lesson explains the lanthanoid contraction from the electrons, then follows three effects: the likeness of the 4d and 5d metals, the falling basic strength of the hydroxides and the difficulty of separating the elements.
A smoke detector holds a speck of americium, an element that does not occur in nature. It belongs to the actinoids, the second row of the f-block. This lesson shows how their electrons are arranged, why they show so many oxidation states, how they differ from the lanthanoids, and what both rows are used for.
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