JEE MAIN - Chemistry (2024 - 9th April Evening Shift - No. 6)

Give below are two statements :

Statement I : The higher oxidation states are more stable down the group among transition elements unlike p-block elements.

Statement II : Copper can not liberate hydrogen from weak acids.

In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below :

Statement I is true but Statement II is false
Both Statement I and Statement II are false
Both Statement I and Statement II are true
Statement I is false but Statement II is true

Explanation

To evaluate the given statements, let's analyze each statement in the context of chemical principles:

Statement I: The higher oxidation states are more stable down the group among transition elements unlike p-block elements.

This statement is true. In transition elements, as we move down the group, the electrons are being added to the n-1 d orbitals, where 'n' represents the principal quantum number. The ability to exhibit higher oxidation states stems from the fact that not only are the s electrons of the outermost shell used in bonding, but the d electrons are also involved. Moreover, down the group, the effective nuclear charge decreases, and the shielding effect increases, so electrons from both s and d orbitals can be easily used for bonding, leading to stable higher oxidation states. This trend is opposite in the case of p-block elements, where the stability of higher oxidation states generally decreases down the group due to the inert pair effect, which makes it hard to remove electrons from the s orbital as we move down the group.

Statement II: Copper can not liberate hydrogen from weak acids.

This statement is also true. Copper (Cu) is less reactive and lies below hydrogen in the electrochemical series, meaning it has a higher reduction potential than hydrogen. For a metal to displace hydrogen from an acid, it must have a lower reduction potential than hydrogen. This is not the case with copper. Therefore, copper does not react with weak acids (like acetic acid) to liberate hydrogen gas. This behavior can be explained through the electrochemical series, where metals placed above hydrogen are capable of displacing hydrogen from acids (exemplified by metals such as zinc or magnesium), whereas copper does not have this ability due to its relative placement in the series.

Based on the analysis, Option C is the correct answer: Both Statement I and Statement II are true.

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