Question

Match the following List-I List-II (a) Mercury (p) Liquid metal (b) Tungsten (q) Non-transition metal (c) Astatine (r) Highest melting point among metals (d) Iron (s) Transition metal (t) Shows \(+2\) and \(+3\) oxidation states

Short answer

(a-p), (b-r), (c-q), (d-s),(d-t)

Step-by-step solution

Understand the options in List-I

Familiarize yourself with the elements given in List-I: Mercury (a), Tungsten (b), Astatine (c), and Iron (d). These elements all have distinct characteristics that we need to match with those in List-II.

Analyze List-II Options

Review and understand the items in List-II: Liquid metal (p), Non-transition metal (q), Highest melting point among metals (r), Transition metal (s), and Shows \(+2\) and \(+3\) oxidation states (t). Each item describes a specific property of certain elements.

Match Mercury with List-II

Mercury is known for being a liquid at room temperature. This matches with item (p) Liquid metal in List-II.

Match Tungsten with List-II

Tungsten is renowned for its incredibly high melting point among metals. This corresponds with item (r) Highest melting point among metals in List-II.

Match Astatine with List-II

Astatine is a halogen, which typically are not transition metals and possess different properties. So, it can be matched with item (q) Non-transition metal in List-II.

Match Iron with List-II

Iron is a well-known transition metal and it also exhibits +2 and +3 oxidation states. Therefore, it can be matched with both items (s) Transition metal and (t) Shows \(+2\) and \(+3\) oxidation states in List-II.

Key concepts

Mercury properties

Mercury, symbolized as Hg, is a fascinating element primarily due to its unique physical state. Unlike most metals, Mercury is a liquid at room temperature, making it one of the few elements that can flow at ambient conditions. This property has led to its wide use in thermometers, barometers, and other scientific instruments. Additionally, mercury has a silvery appearance and is quite dense, which is typical of metals.

• Mercury's density is about 13.6 times that of water, allowing it to form almost spherical droplets as it rolls off surfaces.
• Despite being a metal, it conducts heat poorly but conducts electricity reasonably well due to its free electron movement.
• Its atomic number is 80, and it belongs to group 12 of the periodic table.
• The element is toxic and requires careful handling to avoid environmental contamination and health issues.

Industrially, mercury is used in float valves, mercury vapor lamps, and dental amalgams. However, due to its toxicity, the use of mercury is progressively being phased out in many applications.

Tungsten characteristics

Tungsten, with the chemical symbol W, is renowned for its remarkable physical properties, particularly its melting and boiling points. Tungsten possesses the highest melting point of all metals, surpassing 3400°C, which makes it invaluable in applications that require materials to withstand extreme heat.

• Tungsten has a very high density, around 19.3 g/cm³, making it similarly dense to gold.
• This element is not only hard but also highly resistant to corrosion and wear, which makes it ideal for use in tools and heavy-duty applications.
• It is placed in group 6 of the periodic table, characterized as a transition metal.
• Doping tungsten with small amounts of potassium leads to better strength at high temperatures, a property utilized in light bulb filaments.

Aside from its use in filaments, tungsten is employed in the aerospace industry, radiation shielding, and the production of superalloys. Its overall resilience and strength vastly outperform many other metals, ensuring its continued usage in these demanding sectors.

Astatine in periodic table

Astatine, represented by the symbol At, is an enigmatic element due to its rarity and radioactivity. It is part of the halogen group in the periodic table, placed in group 17. As a halogen, it shares many properties with other members in its group, yet also exhibits unique features due to its position.

• Astatine is classified as a non-transition metal due to its placement further to the right in the periodic table compared to transition metals.
• Although it is theorized to possess properties similar to iodine, its behavior deviates due to radiation from its isotopes.
• Its most stable isotope, Astatine-210, has a half-life of only about 8.1 hours.
• Because of its extreme scarcity and radioactivity, it has no significant industrial applications and is largely a subject of scientific curiosity and research.

Efforts in research aim to understand more about astatine's chemical properties, though access to this element's solid samples remains a challenge. Despite its limited practical use, the intriguing nature of astatine continues to attract scientific study.

Iron oxidation states

Iron is a versatile element and a staple in the field of chemistry, particularly noted for its abundant oxidation states. Iron, with the chemical symbol Fe, is classified as a transition metal, positioned in group 8 of the periodic table. This positioning influences its ability to exist in multiple oxidation states.

• The most common oxidation states of iron are +2 and +3, also referred to as ferrous (Fe²⁺) and ferric (Fe³⁺), respectively.
• These oxidation states play a crucial role in various biochemical and industrial processes, such as the formation of rust and the operation of hemoglobin in blood.
• Iron's ability to switch between these states is fundamental to redox reactions, making it an essential catalyst in numerous chemical processes.
• The element also forms complex compounds with many other elements, enhancing its importance in alloy formation and structural applications.

In industry, iron's primary use is in steel production, where its oxidation states are manipulated to create materials with desired properties. This flexible metal's reactivity and ease of incorporation into various compounds ensure its continued relevance across multiple scientific and industrial domains.