Question

What is the difference in the electronic configuration of transition and inner-transition elements?

Answer 1

The elements which lie in the middle of the Group II A elements and the Group II B elements in the present day periodic table are the d block elements. The d-block elements may also be known as Transition Elements as they are elements which lie between the metals and non-metals of the periodic table.

Transition elements are in the d-block and have valence electrons in the d-orbital's. They can form multiple oxidation states and form different ions. Iron, Cobalt, and Nickel are ferromagnetic.

The general electronic configuration of the transition element is given as follow: $(n-1)d^{1-10}n{s}^{1-2}$

Inner transition elements are in the f-block and have valence electrons in the f-orbital's. They consist of the Lanthanides and the Actinides. The Actinides are radioactive and mostly synthetic.

The electronic configuration of the inner tansition element can be given as follow:

$(n-2)f^{1-14}(n-1)d^{0-1}n{s}^2$