Answer 1

Cr²⁺ is strongly reducing in nature. It has a d⁴ configuration. While acting as a reducing agent, it gets oxidized to Cr³⁺ (electronic configuration, d³). This d³ configuration can be written as `t_(2g)^3` configuration, which is a more stable configuration. In the case of Mn³⁺ (d⁴), it acts as an oxidizing agent and gets reduced to Mn²⁺ (d⁵). This has an exactly half-filled d-orbital and is highly stable.