Question

Consider the statement : 

Scandium is a transition element but zinc is not.

1. Do you agree with his statement? 

2. Justify your answer.

Answer 1

1. Yes.

2. Scandium has incompletely filled 3d orbitals in its ground state (3d⁰), it is regarded as a transition element. On the other hand, zinc atom has completely filled d orbitals (3d¹⁰) in its ground state as well as in its oxidised state. Hence it is not regarded as a transition element.