- Home
- Standard 11
- Chemistry
The $+1 -$ oxidation state in group $-13$ and $+2$ oxidation state in group $-14$ becomes more and more stable with increasing atomic number. Explain.
Solution
On moving down, in group-$13$ and $14$, lower oxidation state becomes more stable as compared to higher oxidation state, because of inert pair effect.
In inert pair effect, $s$ electrons of valence shell do not participate in bonding only ' $p$ ' electrons participate in bonding. As the size of atom increases, more energy is needed by 's' electrons to participate in bonding from valence shell.
In group $13$ valence shell configuration is $n s^{2} n p^{1}$ ( $\mathrm{n}=2$ to 6 ), when electrons of both ' $s$ ' and
' $p$ ' orbitals participate they show $+3$ oxidation state but, if only ' $p$ ' electrons participate then they show $+1$ oxidation state. In group-$14$ valence shell configuration is $n s^{2} n p^{2}(n=2$ to $6$ ), when electrons of both ' $s$ ' and ' $p$ ' orbitals participate then $+4$ oxidation state and if only ' $p$ ' electrons participate, then they show $+2$ oxidation state.
