Copper exhibits +1 oxidation state most frequently Cu (29) - electronic configuration 3d¹⁰4s¹ copper ready to lose outer most one electron to attain the stable full filled electronic configuration. Hence it exhibits +1 oxidisation state.

(i) The first transition metal Scandium exhibits only +3 oxidation state, but all other transition elements exhibit variable oxidation states by loosing electrons from (n-1)d orbital and ns orbital as the energy difference between them is very small. At the beginning of the series, +3 oxidation state is stable but towards the end +2 oxidation state becomes stable. The first and last elements show less number of oxidation states and the middle elements with more number of oxidation states
(ii) For example, the first element Sc has only one oxidation state +3; the middle element Mn has six different oxidation states from +2 to +7. The last element Cu shows +1 and +2 oxidation states only.

Elemental copper is more stable than Cu²⁺. The electronic configuration of copper is 3d¹⁰ 4s¹ completely filled 3d orbital with stable configuration.
But Cu²⁺ has configuration as 3d⁹. Hence \(\mathrm{E}_{\mathrm{M}^{2+} / \mathrm{M}}^{0}\) value is positive for Cu²⁺.

Cr²⁺ is stronger reducing agent than Fe²⁺. The standard electrode potential (E⁰) of Cr²⁺ is -0.91 V and that of Fe²⁺ is only -0.44 V.
If the standard electrode potential of a metal is large and negative is a powerful reducing agent, because it loses electrons easily.
Hence Cr²⁺ is stronger reducing agent.

Zirconium is a 4d element and Hafnium is a 5d element. There is an unexpected observation in the atomic radius of 5d elements which have nearly the same atomic radius as that of corresponding 4d elements. This is due to lanthanoid contraction. Hence they exhibit similar properties.

\(Eu (63)-[\mathrm{Xe}] 4 \mathrm{f}^{7} 5 \mathrm{~d}^{0} 6 \mathrm{~s}^{2}, \mathrm{Eu}^{2+}-[\mathrm{Xe}] 4 \mathrm{f}^{7} \)
\(\mathrm{Ce}(58)-[\mathrm{Xe}] 4 \mathrm{f}^{1} 5 \mathrm{~d}^{1} 6 \mathrm{~s}^{2}, \mathrm{Ce}^{2+}-[\mathrm{Xe}] 4 \mathrm{f}^{1} 5 \mathrm{~d}^{1} \)
Eu²⁺ has exactly half filled stable electronic configuration. Hence Europium (II) is more stable than Cerium (II).

La(OH)₃ is more basic than Lu(OH)₃. Due to lanthanide contraction, the size of Ln³⁺ ions decreases regularly with increase in atomic number. According to Fajan's rule, decrease in size of Ln³⁺ ions decreases the basic character between Ln³⁺ and OH^- ion in Ln(OH)₃. So La(OH)₃ is more basic than Lu(OH)₃.

(i) In the actinoid series, the elements have poor shielding effect when compared with lanthanide series.
(ii) Hence in the actinoid series, when atomic number increases the effective nuclear charge also increases so actinoid contraction is greater from element to element than the lanthanoid contraction.

As we move from left to right in a transition metal series, the ionization enthalpy increases as expected. This is due to increase in the nuclear charge corresponding to the filling of d electrons. The increase in first ionisation enthalpy with increase in atomic number along a particular series is not regular. The added electron enters (n-1) d orbital and the inner electrons act as a shield and decrease the effect of nuclear charge on valence ns electrons. Therefore, it leads to variation in the ionization energy value.

Mn³⁺ has large and negative standard electrode potential E⁰ (-1.18 V) than that of Cr²⁺ which has only -0.91 V. If the standard electrode potential of a metal is large and negative, the metal is a powerful reducing agent because it loses electrons easily. Hence Mn³⁺ is strongly oxidizing while Cr²⁺ is strongly reducing.

S.No	Lanthanoids	Actinoids
1.	Differentiating electron enters in 4f orbital	Differentiating electron enters in 5f orbital
2.	Binding energy of 4f orbitals are higher	Binding energy of 5f orbitals are lower
3.	They show less tendency to form complexes	They show greater tendency to form complexes
4.	Most of the lanthanoids are colourless	Most of the actinoids are coloured For Example: U3+ (red) U4+ (green).
5.	They do not form oxo cations	They do form oxo cations such as UO22+, NpO22++ etc.
6.	Besides +3 oxidation states lanthanoids show +2 and +4 oxidation states in few cases	Besides +3 oxidation states actinoids show higher oxidation states such as +4, +5, +6 and +7

(i) In transition series, as we move down from Ti to Zn, the standard reduction potential E⁰_M²⁺/M³ value is approaching towards less negative value and copper has a positive reduction potential, i. e. elemental copper is more stable than Cu²⁺.
(ii) E⁰_M²⁺/M value for manganese and zinc are more negative than regular trend. It is due to extra stability arises due to the half filled d⁵ configuration in Mn²⁺ and completely filled d¹⁰ configuration in Zn²⁺.
(iii) The standard electrode potential for the M³⁺/M²⁺ half cell gives the relative stability between M³⁺ and M²⁺.
(iv) The high reduction potential of Mn³⁺/Mn²⁺ indicates Mn²⁺ is more stable than Mn³⁺.
(v) Mn³⁺ has a 3d⁴ configuration while that of Mn²⁺ is 3d⁵. The extra stability associated with a half filled d sub-shell makes the reduction of Mn³⁺ very feasible \(\left[\mathrm{E}^{\circ}=+1.51 \mathrm{~V}\right]\).

(i) Fe³⁺ - electronic configuration - [Ar] 3d⁵
(ii) It has exactly half-filled stable electronic configuration.
(iii) Fe²⁺ - electronic configuration -[Ar]3d⁶
(iv) It has only partially filled d-orbitals.
Hence Fe³⁺ is more stable than Fe²⁺.

(i) The actual position of Lanthanides in the periodic table is at group number 3 and period number 6. However, in the sixth period after lanthanum, the electrons are preferentially filled in inner 4f sub shell and these fourteen elements following lanthanum show similar chemical properties.
(ii) Similarly the fourteen elements following actinium resemble in their physical and chemical properties. Hence they are placed separately bottom of the modern periodic table.

(i) The elements in which the extra electron enters (n-2) f orbitals are called f-block elements. These elements are called as inner transition elements because they form a transition. Series within the transition elements.
(ii) The f-block elements are also called as rare earth elements. They are divided into lanthanoid series (4f block elements) and actinoid series (5f block elements).

IUPAC defines transition metal as an element whose atom has an incomplete d-sub shell or which can give rise to cations with an incomplete d-sub shell. They occupy the central position of the periodic table, between s and p-block elements.
Examples: Fe, Cu, Ag, Au