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Metal cations that form more than one type of ion are usually found in the section of the periodic table known as the transition metals

A. True
B. False

User Equidamoid
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Final answer:

True, transition metals such as iron and cobalt can form multiple ions with different charges, which is due to the complex arrangement of their d and s electrons. Other metals outside this group, like tin and lead, can also form multiple cations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that metal cations that form more than one type of ion are usually found in the section of the periodic table known as the transition metals is A. True. Group 1 and 2 elements form cations by losing electrons from the s orbital, usually resulting in a single positive charge per atom. However, transition metal ions are more complex; they can form multiple cations with different ionic charges because the d sublevel of electrons is being filled, and they can rearrange both d and s electrons.

Iron, for example, can form both Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ ions, depending on whether it loses two or three electrons. Similarly, cobalt can form 2+ and 3+ cations. It's important to note that other metals, like tin and lead, can also form multiple ions, though they're not transition metals.

Finally, while transition metals are defined as elements with one or more stable ions having incompletely filled d orbitals, not all d block members are considered transition metals. Scandium and zinc, for instance, despite being in the d block, do not fit this definition as their ions do not have incompletely filled d orbitals.

User Zah
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