F-lanthanide ions

The lanthanide series of elements differ from the transition metal series in that 4f shell inner electrons are shielded by the 5s2,5p6 closed shells. Consequently f shell electrons interact much less strongly with their environment than the d electrons in the transition series. The radial charge density for Pr3+ is shown in Fig. 8.1. The electronic structure of the f lanthanide ion is dominated by many different interactions than for more familiar d transition metal ions. 

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