What is the primary factor that determines the color of transition metal complexes?

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Q: What is the primary factor that determines the color of transition metal complexes?

Solution: The type of ligands affects the splitting of d-orbitals, which in turn influences the color of the transition metal complex.

Steps: 6

Step 1: Understand that transition metals have d-orbitals, which are energy levels where electrons can be found.
Step 2: Know that when transition metals bond with other molecules (called ligands), the d-orbitals split into different energy levels.
Step 3: Realize that different types of ligands cause different amounts of splitting in the d-orbitals.
Step 4: Learn that the amount of splitting affects how much energy is needed for an electron to jump from a lower d-orbital to a higher one.
Step 5: Understand that when electrons jump between these split d-orbitals, they absorb certain wavelengths of light.
Step 6: Know that the color we see is the complementary color of the light that is absorbed.