Question:medium

Actinoids show larger number of oxidation states :

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Lanthanoids primarily show a +3 oxidation state because the energy gap between 4f and 5d is larger.
Actinoids are much more complex due to the energy proximity of 5f, 6d, and 7s.
The maximum oxidation state increases towards the middle of the actinoid series and then decreases.
Updated On: Jul 22, 2026
  • because they are radioactive in nature
  • because they have large atomic numbers
  • because they have large atomic masses
  • due to comparable energies of 5f, 6d and 7s orbitals
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Recall why an element shows more than one oxidation state.
An element shows many oxidation states when electrons from more than one type of orbital are close enough in energy that all of them can be removed with a similar amount of energy.
Step 2: Compare actinoids with lanthanoids on this point.
In lanthanoids, the $4f$ orbitals sit well below the $5d$ orbitals in energy, so mostly only the outer electrons take part in bonding and $+3$ dominates. In actinoids, the $5f$, $6d$ and $7s$ orbitals lie much closer together in energy.
Step 3: Connect this energy closeness to the observed behaviour.
Because electrons in $5f$, $6d$ and $7s$ can all be removed with comparable energy, actinoids can lose different numbers of electrons under different conditions, giving oxidation states from $+3$ up to as high as $+7$ in elements like neptunium and plutonium.
Step 4: Rule out the other reasons offered.
Radioactivity, large atomic number and large atomic mass are true facts about actinoids, but none of them by themselves explains why the oxidation states vary so much; the real reason is the closeness in orbital energies.
\[ \boxed{\text{Comparable energies of } 5f, 6d, 7s \text{ orbitals}} \]
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