In comparison of ferrous salts, ferric salts are : — d and f Block Elements Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Step 1: The stability of transition metal oxidation states in air depends on their electronic configurations. Step 2: Iron(II) (ferrous) has a 3d6 configuration, whereas iron(III) (ferric) has a 3d5 configuration. The 3d5 configuration is highly stable because it represents an exactly half-filled d-subshell. Step 3: Because of this extra stabilization, ferric salts are more stable than ferrous salts (which are easily oxidized to ferric in air), matching option (a).