Formation of ions from transition metals

hi there,
I may not be sure whether this is be correct,but this is my explanation:

When transition metals form ions, they generally lose their outermost electrons first, which are typically found in the 4s orbital. This is because the 4s orbital has a higher energy than the 3d orbital, and so it is easier for the electron to be removed from the 4s orbital.

However, when transition metals gain electrons to form negatively charged ions, the electrons are generally added to the 4s and 3d orbitals in a way that minimizes the total energy of the system. The exact way in which the electrons are added depends on the specific metal and the number of electrons being added.

For example, let's consider chromium (Cr), which has the electron configuration [Ar] 3d5 4s1 in its neutral state. When chromium forms a positive ion, it loses its 4s1 electron first, giving it a configuration of [Ar] 3d5. If chromium were to gain an electron to form a negatively charged ion, the electron would likely be added to the 4s orbital, giving it a configuration of [Ar] 3d5 4s2. However, it is also possible that the electron could be added to one of the 3d orbitals, depending on the energy level of the electron and the overall stability of the resulting ion.

the 4s orbital has a lower energy then 3d doesn't it?

hello there!

actually,the energy levels of orbitals depend on the specific atom and its electronic configuration. In general, the energy levels of the orbitals are determined by their principal quantum number (n), where orbitals with higher values of n have higher energy.

For a neutral atom, the 3d orbital typically has a higher energy than the 4s orbital. This is because the 3d orbital has a higher value of the azimuthal quantum number (l) than the 4s orbital, which results in it experiencing greater shielding from the inner electrons and being located further from the nucleus. However, in certain cases, such as when the atom is ionized or in a complex with other atoms, the energy levels of the orbitals can change.

It's worth noting that energy levels are not the only factor that determines the reactivity of atoms and their ability to form chemical bonds. Other factors such as electron configuration, atomic size, and electronegativity also play important roles.

i hope you understand this. btw,are you the OP?