Applications of d and f-block Elements for Class 12 Chemistry Notes

d-Block Elements 

D-block elements are those present in the modern periodic table from the third to the twelfth groups. These elements’ valence electrons are in the d orbital. Transition elements or transition metals are other names for d-block elements. D block elements have electrons (1–10) in the d-orbital of the penultimate energy level and in the outermost orbital (1-2). Although electrons do not fill the ‘d’ orbital in group 12 metals, their chemistry is very similar to that of the preceding groups, hence they are classified as d block elements.

Applications of d-block elements

There are some major elements of d-block, for instance, iron and zinc. The applications of iron and zinc will be discussed separately and then, let’s discuss the application of other elements in general.

  1. Iron and its alloy, steel, are widely used in the construction sector.
  2. Iron is the most frequently utilized metal, accounting for more than 90% of global metal output.
  3. Because of its low cost and high strength, it is frequently used to withstand stress or transmit pressures in the construction of machinery and machine tools, trains, vehicles, ship hulls, concrete reinforcing bars, and the load-carrying framework of buildings.
  4. Because pure iron is fairly soft, it is usually mixed with alloying metals to form steel.
  5. They’re used to make bridges, electricity pylons, bicycle chains, cutting tools, and rifle barrels.
  6. Carbon is present in 3–5% of cast iron. It is utilized in the manufacture of pipes, valves, and pumps.
  7. In the Haber process, iron catalysts are employed to produce ammonia.
  8. Magnets can be made from this metal, as well as its alloys and compounds.
  1. In fixed dry batteries, zinc is used as the negative anode.
  2. The majority of zinc is used to galvanize other metals, such as iron, to keep them from rusting.
  3. Galvanized steel is utilized in the construction of automotive bodies, street lamp posts, safety barriers, and suspension bridges.
  4. Zinc is used in large amounts to make die-castings, which are employed in the automotive, electrical, and hardware sectors. Zinc is also found in alloys including brass, nickel silver, and aluminum solder.
  5. Many items, including paints, rubber, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, plastics, inks, soaps, batteries, textiles, and electrical equipment, include zinc oxide. Zinc sulfide is a chemical that is used to make luminous paints, fluorescent lights, and x-ray screens.

Applications of other d-block elements

  1. Titanium is utilized in the manufacture of aircraft and spacecraft.
  2. Because titanium metal bonds effectively with bone, it has been used in surgical applications such as joint replacements (particularly hip joints) and dental implants.
  3. Titanium(IV) oxide is the most often used type of titanium. It’s a common pigment in house paint, artist’s paint, plastics, enamels, and paper.
  4. The metal tungsten is used to make electrical fibers.
  5. Manganese dioxide is utilized in dry battery cells as a component.
  6. Fly motors benefit greatly from niobium composites.
  7. Tantalum is a metal that is used to make expository weights.
  8. Photography employs the use of silver bromide.
  9. Many d-block or transition metals and their compounds are used as catalysts in chemical processes.
  10. Palladium chloride is used in the Wacker method of converting ethane to ethanol.

f-Block Elements

Elements with a f orbital that is being filled by electrons are referred to as f block elements. These elements have electrons (1 to 14) in the f orbital, (0 to 1) in the penultimate energy level’s d orbital, and (0 to 1) in the outermost orbital. The f block contains two series that correspond to the filling of 4f and 5f orbitals. The elements are in the 4f series from Ce to Lu and the 5f series from Th to Lw. Each series has 14 elements that occupy the ‘f’ orbital.

Application of f-block elements

  1. Lanthanide alloys are used to make instrumental steels and heat-resistant materials.
  2. Cerium is the primary lanthanide utilized for this purpose, along with trace amounts of lanthanum, neodymium, and praseodymium.
  3. These metals are also frequently employed in the petroleum industry, where they are used to refine crude oil into gasoline products.
  4. Lanthanide carbides, borides, and nitrides are used as refractories.
  5. Lanthanide oxides are used as abrasives in glass cleaning.
  6. Thorium is used in cancer treatment as well as illuminating gas mantles.
  7. Thorium oxide is utilized as a catalyst in the industry.
  8. Thorium can be utilized to generate nuclear power. It is almost three times as abundant as uranium and roughly as abundant as lead, and it is likely that thorium contains more energy than both uranium and fossil fuels.
  9. Uranium is used as an atomic fuel.
  10. Uranium is also used to fuel commercial nuclear reactors that generate energy, as well as to create isotopes that are employed in medical, industrial, and defense applications around the world.
  11. Plutonium is used in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons.

Sample Problems (FAQs)

Question 1: Why is the separation of lanthanides elements difficult in the pure state?

Solution:

Because the ionic radii of the lanthanides differ just slightly and their chemical properties are identical, separation of lanthanides elements in the pure state is difficult.

Question 2: What is the effect on the basic strength of hydroxides in lanthanides?

Solution:

As the size of the lanthanide decreases from La to Lu and the covalent character of the hydroxides increases, the basic strength of the lanthanide decreases.

Question 3: What is actinide contraction?

Solution:

Due to increased nuclear charge and electrons entering the inner (n-2) f orbital, the atomic size/ ionic radii of tri positive actinides ions decrease from Th to Lw. Actinide contraction, like lanthanide contraction, is characterised by a consistent decrease in size with increasing atomic number. Because of the insufficient shielding given by 5f electrons, the contraction becomes bigger over time.

Solution:

Because of their lower ionisation energy, actinides are more electropositive and reactive than lanthanides. They react when they come into contact with hot water. By reacting with oxidising chemicals, you can create a passive covering. There is the formation of halides and hydrides. Actinides are extremely effective reducers.

Question 5: Are inner transition metals reactive?

Solution:

The f-block contains the inner transition metals, which are generally located at the bottom of the Periodic Table. They are nearly as reactive as alkali metals, and all actinides are toxic and have no commercial use. Radioactive elements, on the other hand, have the potential to be used as weapons or in nuclear power plants.

Er. Neeraj K.Anand is a freelance mentor and writer who specializes in Engineering & Science subjects. Neeraj Anand received a B.Tech degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from N.I.T Warangal & M.Tech Post Graduation from IETE, New Delhi. He has over 30 years of teaching experience and serves as the Head of Department of ANAND CLASSES. He concentrated all his energy and experiences in academics and subsequently grew up as one of the best mentors in the country for students aspiring for success in competitive examinations. In parallel, he started a Technical Publication "ANAND TECHNICAL PUBLISHERS" in 2002 and Educational Newspaper "NATIONAL EDUCATION NEWS" in 2014 at Jalandhar. Now he is a Director of leading publication "ANAND TECHNICAL PUBLISHERS", "ANAND CLASSES" and "NATIONAL EDUCATION NEWS". He has published more than hundred books in the field of Physics, Mathematics, Computers and Information Technology. Besides this he has written many books to help students prepare for IIT-JEE and AIPMT entrance exams. He is an executive member of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers. USA) and honorary member of many Indian scientific societies such as Institution of Electronics & Telecommunication Engineers, Aeronautical Society of India, Bioinformatics Institute of India, Institution of Engineers. He has got award from American Biographical Institute Board of International Research in the year 2005.

CBSE Class 12 Chemistry Syllabus Download PDF

Below is the CBSE Class 12 Syllabus along with the marking scheme and time duration of the Chemistry exam.

S.NoTitleNo. of PeriodsMarks
1Solutions107
2Electrochemistry129
3Chemical Kinetics107
4d -and f -Block Elements127
5Coordination Compounds127
6Haloalkanes and Haloarenes106
7Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers106
8Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids108
9Amines106
10Biomolecules127
Total70

CBSE Class 12 Chemistry Practical Syllabus along with Marking Scheme

The following is a breakdown of the marks for practical, project work, class records, and viva. The total number of marks for all parts is 15. The marks for both terms are provided in the table below.

Evaluation Scheme for ExaminationMarks
Volumetric Analysis08
Salt Analysis08
Content-Based Experiment06
Project Work and Viva04
Class record and Viva04
Total30

CBSE Class 12 Chemistry Syllabus (Chapter-wise)

Unit -1: Solutions

  • Raoult's law.
  • Colligative properties - relative lowering of vapour pressure, elevation of boiling point, depression of freezing point, osmotic pressure, determination of molecular masses using colligative properties, abnormal molecular mass.
  • Solutions, Types of solutions, expression of concentration of solutions of solids in liquids, solubility of gases in liquids, solid solutions.
  • Van't Hoff factor.

Unit -2: Electrochemistry

  • Redox reactions, EMF of a cell, standard electrode potential
  • Nernst equation and its application to chemical cells
  • Relation between Gibbs energy change and EMF of a cell
  • Kohlrausch's Law
  • Electrolysis and law of electrolysis (elementary idea)
  • Dry cell-electrolytic cells and Galvanic cells
  • Conductance in electrolytic solutions, specific and molar conductivity, variations of conductivity with concentration.
  • Lead accumulator
  • Fuel cells

Unit -3: Chemical Kinetics

  • Rate of a reaction (Average and instantaneous)
  • Rate law and specific rate constant
  • Integrated rate equations and half-life (only for zerfirst-order order reactions)
  • Concept of collision theory (elementary idea, no mathematical treatment)
  • Factors affecting rate of reaction: concentration, temperature, catalyst;
  • Order and molecularity of a reaction
  • Activation energy
  • Arrhenius equation

Unit -4: d and f Block Elements  

  • Lanthanoids- Electronic configuration, oxidation states, chemical reactivity and lanthanoid contraction and its consequences.
  • Actinoids- Electronic configuration, oxidation states and comparison with lanthanoids.
  • General introduction, electronic configuration, occurrence and characteristics of transition metals, general trends in properties of the first-row transition metals – metallic character, ionization enthalpy, oxidation states, ionic radii, color, catalytic property, magnetic properties, interstitial compounds, alloy formation, preparation and properties of K2Cr2O7 and KMnO4.

Unit -5: Coordination Compounds  

  • Coordination compounds - Introduction, ligands, coordination number, color, magnetic properties and shapes
  • The importance of coordination compounds (in qualitative analysis, extraction of metals and biological system).
  • IUPAC nomenclature of mononuclear coordination compounds.
  • Bonding
  • Werner's theory, VBT, and CFT; structure and stereoisomerism

Unit -6: Haloalkanes and Haloarenes  

  • Haloarenes: Nature of C–X bond, substitution reactions (Directive influence of halogen in monosubstituted compounds only). Uses and environmental effects of - dichloromethane, trichloro methane, tetrachloromethane, iodoform, freons, DDT.
  • Haloalkanes: Nomenclature, nature of C–X bond, physical and chemical properties, optical rotation mechanism of substitution reactions.

Unit -7: Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers   

  • Phenols: Nomenclature, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties, acidic nature of phenol, electrophilic substitution reactions, uses of phenols.
  • Ethers: Nomenclature, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties, uses.
  • Alcohols: Nomenclature, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties (of primary alcohols only), identification of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols, mechanism of dehydration, and uses with special reference to methanol and ethanol.

Unit -8: Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids   

  • Carboxylic Acids: Nomenclature, acidic nature, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties; uses.
  • Aldehydes and Ketones: Nomenclature, nature of carbonyl group, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties, mechanism of nucleophilic addition, the reactivity of alpha hydrogen in aldehydes, uses.

Unit -9: Amines    

  • Diazonium salts: Preparation, chemical reactions and importance in synthetic organic chemistry.
  • Amines: Nomenclature, classification, structure, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties, uses, and identification of primary, secondary and tertiary amines.

Unit -10: Biomolecules     

  • Proteins -Elementary idea of - amino acids, peptide bond, polypeptides, proteins, structure of proteins - primary, secondary, tertiary structure and quaternary structures (qualitative idea only), denaturation of proteins; enzymes. Hormones - Elementary idea excluding structure.
  • Vitamins - Classification and functions.
  • Carbohydrates - Classification (aldoses and ketoses), monosaccharides (glucose and fructose), D-L configuration oligosaccharides (sucrose, lactose, maltose), polysaccharides (starch, cellulose, glycogen); Importance of carbohydrates.
  • Nucleic Acids: DNA and RNA.

The syllabus is divided into three parts: Part A, Part B, and Part C. Part A consist of Basic Concepts of Chemistry, which covers topics such as atomic structure, chemical bonding, states of matter, and thermochemistry. Part B consists of Topics in Physical Chemistry, which includes topics such as chemical kinetics, equilibrium, and electrochemistry. Part C consists of Topics in Organic Chemistry, which covers topics such as alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and aromatic compounds.

Basic Concepts of Chemistry:

  • Atomic structure: This section covers the fundamental concepts of atomic structure, including the electronic configuration of atoms, the Bohr model of the atom, and the wave nature of matter.
  • Chemical bonding: This section covers the different types of chemical bonds, including ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds, as well as the concept of hybridization.
  • States of the matter: This section covers the three states of matter - solid, liquid, and gas - and the factors that influence their properties.
  • Thermochemistry: This section covers the principles of thermochemistry, including the laws of thermodynamics and the concept of enthalpy.

Chapters in Physical Chemistry:

  • Chemical kinetics: This section covers the study of the rate of chemical reactions and the factors that influence it, including the concentration of reactants, temperature, and the presence of catalysts.
  • Equilibrium: This section covers the principles of chemical equilibrium, including the concept of Le Chatelier's principle and the equilibrium constant.
  • Electrochemistry: This section covers the principles of electrochemistry, including the concept of half-cell reactions, galvanic cells, and electrolysis.

Chapters in Organic Chemistry:

  • Alkanes: This section covers the properties and reactions of alkanes, including their structure, isomerism, and combustion.
  • Alkenes: This section covers the properties and reactions of alkenes, including their structure, isomerism, and addition reactions.
  • Alkynes: This section covers the properties and reactions of alkynes, including their structure, isomerism, and addition reactions.
  • Aromatic compounds: This section covers the properties and reactions of aromatic compounds, including their structure, isomerism, and electrophilic substitution reactions.

In addition to the topics covered in the syllabus, the CBSE Class 12 Chemistry exam also tests students on their analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as their ability to apply the concepts learned in the classroom to real-world situations.

Students can also check out the Tips for the Class 12 Chemistry Exam. They can easily access the Class 12 study material in one place by visiting the CBSE Class 12 page at ANAND CLASSES (A School Of Competitions). Moreover, to get interactive lessons and study videos, download the ANAND CLASSES (A School Of Competitions) App.

Frequently Asked Questions on CBSE Class 12 Chemistry Syllabus

Q1

How many chapters are there in the CBSE Class 12 Chemistry as per the syllabus?

There are 10 chapters in the CBSE Class 12 Chemistry as per Syllabus. Students can learn all these chapters efficiently using the study materials provided at ANAND CLASSES (A School Of Competitions).

Q2

What is the marking scheme for CBSE Class 12 Chemistry practical exam according to the syllabus?

The marking scheme for CBSE Class 12 Chemistry practical exam, according to the syllabus, is 8 marks for volumetric analysis, 8 marks for salt analysis, 6 marks for the content-based experiment, 4 marks for the project and viva and 4 marks for class record and viva.

Q3

Which is the scoring chapter in Chemistry as per CBSE Class 12 syllabus?

The chapter Electrochemistry in Chemistry is the scoring chapter as per CBSE Class 12 syllabus.