Make a statement about how you would best determine if a solution of a specific metallic cation would be clear and colorless or would have a color. Also make a statement about how you would best determine if the precipitates (when formed) of a specific metallic cation would be white or colored.
The color in metal cations originate from d-d transition which means in metal cation one d electron gets excited by absorbing photon and shifts to high energy d orbital. The teansition is responsible for color. So; metal cations containing unfilled d orbitals ( like Cu+2 ; Fe+3 etetc.) are coloured. On the other hand metal cations having no d orbitals (Na+; Ca+2) or filled d orbitals ( Zn+2) are colourless.
The precipitates from coloured cations are also coloured.
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