D & F Block Elements - 9 Problem types that can come in IIT JEE - JEE Main 2025

Dear students, let us go ahead with our next blog and video in our series, in Chemistry. We are we are going to discuss some previous year questions of D and F block the most awaited chapter. This is a theoretical chapter. In this you must learn and remember lot of things. When I move to problem types, I will give you some hints and some tricks to memorize electronic configuration, to memorize complete Lanthanide series and complete Actinide series.

We are going to systematically start with the weightage of the topic then go into the subtopics that need to be covered then go into more deeper points of what exactly there is in the syllabus using mind maps and ultimately come on to the 9 problem types.

Mind map of the chapter helps you know which topics and subtopics are covered in D & F Block Elements chapter for IIT JEE - JEE Main and JEE Advanced, and how these are interlinked with each other. That helps you cover the entire chapter comprehensively and ensure you do not miss any single subtopic or concept from it.

Since the video has 5-6 questions from each of the 9 types of problems in D & F block elements, mostly from Past Year Questions of JEE Main, we are keeping 2 questions per type in the blog. We will add the list of the 9 problem types followed by 2 questions from each type.

Before we start this video there is a “do” and there is a “don't”. The “do” is do not watch this video like you are watching a movie but keep making notes, keep solving questions, pause the video and see how you can arrive on an answer and develop your approach while solving. The “don't” is that this video is not meant for a fresher student who has not just done the chapter yet. We will not go into very Basics but yes, I will tell you the concept wherever and whenever it is required.

In general, we have one question from the chapter in JEE Mains but in some sets, you may even have 2 questions. These questions are generally completely memory based.

Now let us discuss the Mind map of D and F block elements. So, D block elements are known as the transition elements while f block elements are known as the inner transition elements.

Mindmap of the chapter – D & F Block

In D block elements the last electron enters D subshell while in F block elements last electron enters F subshell. With respect to D block, we are going to study, and you should know how to write down the electronic configuration, then you should know the trend with respect to metallic character, Atomic radii, ionic radii, then you should know the trend of melting point, boiling point, ionization energy, how to compare ionization energy, how to compare reduction potential.

You must learn the oxidation states of D block elements, then magnetic properties in terms of paramagnetic and diamagnetic if any element has unpaired electron that is paramagnetic while if the element does not have unpaired electron that is diamagnetic. Then D block elements can easily form complex due to the empty D orbital so they can easily form complex, so in the coordination compounds we have complexes with respect to D block elements, then we have some catalytic properties, which means we have D block elements and the compounds of D block Elements which are used in form of catalyst.

Since Catalysts increase the rate of a chemical reaction, it means we generally talk about the positive Catalyst, but we also have negative Catalyst which decreases the rate of chemical reaction. Then transition metal, transition elements can also form interstitial compounds so which type of interstitial compounds they can form, what kind of Alloys they can form, why they can form alloy. There is a reason why they can form alloy because what happens when you move down the group right due to the Lanthanide contraction.

So, D block elements have generally same size. Most of the elements they have same size or less difference in the size due to which they can easily mix well and when they easily mix well, they can form a good quality of alloy. Then compounds of transition elements so we have two compounds in syllabus - Potassium di chromates and Potassium permanganate. You should know the preparation properties, uses, properties with respect to physical properties and chemical properties so you must learn all reactions from NCERT.

Now come the F block elements. So, F block elements topic is very small so generally the questions are going to be from the electronic configuration, but you should know what Lanthanides are, what is the common oxidation state of Lanthanides, what are Actinides, what are the common oxidation state of actinides. We have two important factors Lanthanide contraction and Actinide contraction so what is the significance of that Lanthanide contraction and Actinide contraction.

So, you should know all these things before starting with the questions. Now we move to Problem types and solving them. We have divided the entire chapter into 9 problem types. First, we are going to discuss some questions related to Basics.

Problem Types discussion

Throughout the video If you notice all the questions, you will realize that most of the questions are memory based. It means you must learn and remember. If you must learn everything related to D and F block elements, I have given you some tricks so that you can memorize easily. But it is up to you if you practice well, if you can understand the things and if you can learn the things very well then you can do all the questions of D and F block.

We hope you enjoyed this blog as well as the video, in which we went into the details of different kinds of problems that can be formed from D & F block elements and Lanthanide series and Actinide series in JEE Main, and how to solve them.

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All the best for your JEE Main 2025.