Answer:
b. The splitting of the d-orbitals is smaller in the [Ni(Cl)6]4- complex than in the [Ni(en)3]2+ complex.
Explanation:
The spectrochemical series is an arrangement of ligands in increasing order of their magnitude of crystal field splitting.
Ligands that occurs towards the right in the series are called strong field ligands and they tend to cause a greater magnitude of crystal field splitting. Ligands that occur towards the left hand side in the series are called weak field ligands and they tend to cause a lesser magnitude of crystal field splitting.
Since Cl^- is a weak field ligand, it causes a lesser magnitude of d orbital splitting compared to ethylenediammine (en) which causes a greater magnitude of d orbital splitting.
Hence; the splitting of the d-orbitals is smaller in the [Ni(Cl)6]4- complex than in the [Ni(en)3]2+ complex.
