Crystal Field Splitting

Crystal field splitting occurs when metal ions are surrounded by negatively charged ligands, like water or other molecules. These ligands create an electric field that affects the energy levels of the metal’s d-orbitals—regions where electrons are likely to be found. This interaction causes the degenerate d-orbitals (all at the same energy) to split into groups with different energies. The extent of splitting influences properties like color and magnetism of the compound. Essentially, crystal field splitting describes how the environment around a metal ion alters the energies of its electrons.