MHT CET202611 April 2026Morning ShiftChemistryd and f Block ElementsActual
Why zinc does not exhibit variable oxidation states?
Options
- ACompletely filled 4s subshell
- BCompletely filled 3d subshell
- CIncomplete 3d subshell
- DIncomplete 4s subshell
Correct answer
B. Completely filled 3d subshell
Step-by-step solution
The atomic number of zinc is 30 . The electronic configuration of zinc is [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² . Zinc loses two electrons from the 4s subshell to form Zn²⁺ ion, which has a stable [Ar] 3d¹⁰ configuration. Since the 3d subshell is completely filled and highly stable, it does not lose any further electrons. Therefore, zinc does not exhibit variable oxidation states due to its completely filled 3d subshell. Answer: Completely filled 3d subshell