Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Two complexes of each have six identical ligands around the ion. One has and the other has . The atomic number of iron is 26. Find the number of 3d electrons in and the number of unpaired electrons in each complex. Give the hybridisation and the type of orbital for each, and one ligand that could be present.
In valence bond theory the ligands give lone pairs into empty hybrid orbitals. A strong field ligand pairs the d electrons and can free two 3d orbitals for . A weak field ligand leaves the electrons unpaired, so the ion uses . The spin-only moment is , with the number of unpaired electrons.
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. The ion. has electrons, so .
Step 2. The first complex. With there are no unpaired electrons. All six 3d electrons are paired in three orbitals, which leaves two 3d orbitals empty. The hybridisation is and the complex is an inner orbital complex. A strong ligand such as does this.
Step 3. The second complex. For , , so . Four electrons are unpaired, which is the high spin arrangement. No 3d orbital is empty, so the hybridisation is and the complex is an outer orbital complex. A weak ligand such as does this.
Answer: . The first complex has 0 unpaired electrons (, inner orbital). The second has 4 unpaired electrons (, outer orbital).
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