Based on Crystal Field Theory, the magnitude of the crystal field splitting energy () is influenced — Coordination Compounds Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

(A) True: Heavier transition metals ($4d$, $5d$) have more diffuse orbitals, interacting more strongly with ligands, increasing $\Delta_o$. (B) True: Higher oxidation state means higher effective nuclear charge, pulling ligands closer and increasing repulsion/splitting. (C) True: A square planar geometry is conceptually derived from an octahedral field by completely removing the two ligands on the z-axis, significantly dropping the energy of $z$ -related orbitals. (D) False: $\Delta_t$ is almost always smaller than pairing energy ($P$), meaning tetrahedral complexes overwhelmingly form high-spin configurations.