Step 1: Concept
Transition metals can exhibit multiple oxidation states due to the presence of d-orbitals. The highest possible oxidation state for a transition metal is determined by the number of electrons in its outermost shell and the availability of unpaired d-electrons.
Step 2: Meaning
Oxidation state refers to the hypothetical charge an atom would have if all bonds to atoms of different elements were 100% ionic. For transition metals, this varies widely due to their ability to lose different numbers of electrons from both the ns and (n-1)d subshells.
Step 3: Analysis
To determine which element exhibits the highest oxidation state among Mn, Fe, Cr, and Ti, we look at their valence configurations:
Titanium ($\text{Ti}$) has an electronic configuration of $[\text{Ar}] 4s^2 3d^2$. The maximum possible oxidation state is +4.
Iron ($\text{Fe}$) has an electronic configuration of $[\text{Ar}] 4s^2 3d^6$. Although it has 8 valence electrons, it rarely exceeds +3 or +6 in unstable ferrates due to paired d-electrons.
Chromium ($\text{Cr}$) has an electronic configuration of $[\text{Ar}] 4s^1 3d^5$. It can lose all 6 valence electrons to exhibit a maximum oxidation state of +6.
Manganese ($\text{Mn}$) has an electronic configuration of $[\text{Ar}] 4s^2 3d^5$. It has 7 valence electrons available for bonding.
Step 4: Conclusion
By losing all 7 of its valence electrons ($4s$ and $3d$), manganese can achieve a maximum oxidation state of +7 (e.g., in $\text{KMnO}_4$ or $\text{MnO}_4^-$). This is the highest among the given options.
Final Answer: (A)