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Nitrogen is indeed more inert compared to phosphorus, primarily due to differences in their atomic structures and the stability of their compounds.

1. Bond Strength: Nitrogen forms a very strong triple bond (N≡N) in molecular nitrogen (N2), which is difficult to break. This makes nitrogen gas quite unreactive under normal conditions. Phosphorus, on the other hand, tends to form weaker single bonds (P-P) in its elemental form (P4), making it more reactive.

2. Electronegativity: Nitrogen has a higher electronegativity compared to phosphorus. This means that nitrogen atoms attract electrons more strongly, which stabilizes the molecules they form and makes them less prone to reacting with other substances.

3. Size of Atom: Nitrogen atoms are smaller than phosphorus atoms, which affects their ability to form stable bonds. Nitrogen's smaller size allows for stronger overlap of atomic orbitals in the formation of multiple bonds, contributing to the stability of nitrogen compounds.

4. Hybridization: Nitrogen often undergoes sp2 hybridization, leading to planar geometry in many of its compounds. This geometric arrangement can enhance the stability of nitrogen compounds. Phosphorus, however, can exhibit various hybridizations and geometries, which may render its compounds more reactive.

These factors collectively contribute to the relative inertness of nitrogen compared to phosphorus. However, despite nitrogen's inertness in its diatomic form, it can react vigorously under certain conditions to form a wide variety of compounds, especially when it reacts with highly reactive elements or under specific catalytic conditions.

The "lanthanoid contraction" refers to a phenomenon observed in the periodic table involving the contraction in atomic and ionic radii as you move across the lanthanide series (also known as the rare earth elements) from left to right.

This contraction occurs due to the poor shielding effect of f-electrons in the lanthanoid series. As electrons are added to the f-orbitals, they are not very effective at shielding the increasing nuclear charge from the outermost s- and p-electrons. As a result, the effective nuclear charge experienced by the outer electrons increases, leading to a contraction in the size of the atoms and ions as you move across the lanthanide series.

The lanthanoid contraction has significant consequences in various chemical properties, including ionization energy, atomic and ionic radii, and complex formation.

Transition elements exhibit variable oxidation states due to the presence of incompletely filled d orbitals in their atoms. These d orbitals can participate in bonding and can gain or lose electrons to form compounds with different oxidation states.

The number of oxidation states displayed by transition metals is often related to their electronic configurations. Transition metals have multiple incompletely filled d orbitals, which can easily lose or gain electrons to achieve a stable configuration. This flexibility allows them to exhibit a range of oxidation states.

For example, iron (Fe) can form compounds where it has an oxidation state of +2 or +3. In the +2 oxidation state, iron loses two electrons from its 4s orbital, while in the +3 oxidation state, it loses three electrons from both its 4s and 3d orbitals. Similarly, elements like chromium (Cr) can exhibit oxidation states ranging from -2 to +6.

The variability in oxidation states allows transition metals to form a wide variety of compounds with different properties and reactivities, making them essential in many chemical reactions and industrial processes.

The oxidation state of manganese (Mn) in its oxo-anion can be equal to its group number, which is +7. So, the formula of the oxo-anion would be MnO₄^(-), which is called permanganate ion.

Sure, let's break down each of these statements:

(i) Transition metals generally form colored compounds: Reason: The color of transition metal compounds arises due to the presence of partially filled d orbitals in the transition metal ions. When light interacts with these compounds, electrons in the d orbitals can absorb certain wavelengths of light, causing them to transition to higher energy levels. The absorbed wavelengths correspond to the complementary color of the one observed, resulting in the compound appearing colored. This phenomenon is known as d-d transition. The energy gap between the d orbitals varies depending on the metal ion and its oxidation state, leading to a wide range of colors observed in transition metal compounds.

(ii) Manganese exhibits the highest oxidation state of +7 among the 3d series of transition elements: Reason: Manganese, being a member of the 3d transition metal series, can exhibit multiple oxidation states due to the availability of its d orbitals for electron transfer. However, among the 3d series elements, manganese has the highest number of unpaired electrons available in its 3d orbitals, which allows it to achieve its highest oxidation state of +7. This occurs in compounds like potassium permanganate (KMnO4), where manganese is in the +7 oxidation state. The ability of manganese to access this high oxidation state is attributed to its electron configuration and its position within the periodic table.

Coordination isomerism occurs when both cation and anion in a complex ion are exchanged with each other. Here's an example:

Consider the coordination compounds [Co(NH₃)₅Cl]Cl₂ and [CoCl₅(NH₃)]²⁻.

In the first compound, [Co(NH₃)₅Cl]Cl₂, the cobalt ion is surrounded by five ammonia ligands and one chloride ion. The counter ion is another chloride ion.

In the second compound, [CoCl₅(NH₃)]²⁻, the cobalt ion is surrounded by five chloride ions and one ammonia ligand. The counter ion is a neutral ammonia molecule.

In both cases, the coordination sphere of cobalt is different, but the overall formula of the compounds remains the same. This is an example of coordination isomerism.

Sure! Ionization isomerism is a type of structural isomerism where the composition of ions within a complex compound changes.

An example of ionization isomerism is seen in the coordination compound [Co(NH3)5SO4]Br and [Co(NH3)5Br]SO4.

In the first compound, [Co(NH3)5SO4]Br, the sulfate ion (SO4) is coordinated to the cobalt ion (Co) while the bromide ion (Br) is outside the coordination sphere.

In the second compound, [Co(NH3)5Br]SO4, the bromide ion (Br) is coordinated to the cobalt ion (Co) while the sulfate ion (SO4) is outside the coordination sphere.

So, in these two compounds, the ions are arranged differently around the central cobalt ion, leading to ionization isomerism.

The complex Co(NH3)5(NO2)2 exhibits two types of isomerism:

1. Coordination Isomerism: Coordination isomers occur when the ligands in a complex exchange places with anionic or neutral ligands outside the coordination sphere. In this complex, NO2 and NO3 can interchange positions, leading to the formation of coordination isomers.

2. Ionization Isomerism: Ionization isomers arise when there's a difference in the location of a ligand within a complex or between an ion and a molecule. In this case, the NO3^- ions in the coordination sphere can exchange positions with the NO3^- ions outside the coordination sphere.