8.17 For M2+/M and M3+/M2+ systems the EƟ values for some metals are as follows:
Cr2+/Cr -0.9V Cr3/Cr2+ -0.4 V
Mn2+/Mn -1.2V Mn3+/Mn2+ +1.5 V
Fe2+/Fe -0.4V Fe3+/Fe2+ +0.8 V
Use this data to comment upon:
(i) the stability of Fe3+ in acid solution as compared to that of Cr3+ or Mn3+ and
(ii) the ease with which iron can be oxidised as compared to a similar process for either chromium or manganese metal.
(i) The value for Fe/Fe is higher than that for Cr/Cr and lower than that for
Mn/Mn. So, the reduction of Fe to Fe is easier than the reduction of Mn to
Mn, but not as easy as the reduction of Cr to Cr. Hence, Fe is more stable than
Mn, but less stable than Cr. These metal ions can be arranged in the increasing
order of their stability as: Mn3+ < Fe< Cr
(ii) The reduction potentials for the given pairs increase in the following order.
Mn / Mn < Cr / Cr < Fe /Fe
So, the oxidation of Fe to Fe is not as easy as the oxidation of Cr to Cr and the oxidation
of Mn to Mn. Thus, these metals can be arranged in the increasing order of their ability
to get oxidised as: Fe < Cr < Mn
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