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A student opens a container of [mn(h2o)6]2+ and realizes that it is pale yellow despite containing a transition metal ion. what results in this color?
Accepted Answer
The pale yellow color of [Mn(H2O)6]2+ is due to a combination of factors:
1. d-orbital splitting: Transition metals like manganese have partially filled d-orbitals. When surrounded by ligands (like water molecules in this case), these d-orbitals split into different energy levels. The energy difference between these split levels determines the color the complex absorbs and, consequently, the color we perceive.
2. Weak-field ligands: Water is a weak-field ligand, meaning it causes a relatively small splitting of the d-orbitals. This results in a lower energy difference and therefore absorption of light in the higher energy (violet) region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
3. Complementary color: Because [Mn(H2O)6]2+ absorbs violet light, we perceive its complementary color, which is pale yellow.
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