Transition-Metal Colours

Splitting the d orbitals

An interactive lesson with 4 steps, about 5 minutes: you predict, drag and solve, with instant feedback on every answer. It runs in your browser and needs JavaScript.

What you’ll learn

• Ligands split metal d orbitals by Δ; λ = hc/Δ is absorbed.
• Stronger-field ligands (NH₃, CN⁻) → bigger Δ → shorter λ absorbed.
• d⁰ and d¹⁰ ions are colourless.

Steps

1. Ligands split the levels
2. Make it yellow
3. Deeper blue
4. Colourless zinc