Color Difference between SnI4 and SnCl2
SnI₄ is yellow-orange while SnCl₂ is colorless. This color difference can be explained by the following factors:

1. Oxidation States
- The color of a compound can be influenced by the oxidation state of the central metal atom. In SnI₄, tin (Sn) is in the +4 oxidation state, while in SnCl₂, tin is in the +2 oxidation state. The different oxidation states lead to different electronic configurations and hence different absorption spectra, resulting in the observed color difference.

2. Ligand Effects
- The color of a compound can also be affected by the nature of the ligands surrounding the central metal atom. In the case of SnI₄, the iodide ions (I-) act as ligands, which can cause a yellow-orange color due to the absorption of certain wavelengths of light. On the other hand, the chloride ions (Cl-) in SnCl₂ do not absorb visible light in the same way, resulting in a colorless appearance.

3. Crystal Field Theory
- The color of a compound can further be explained by crystal field theory, which describes the interaction between metal d orbitals and ligands. The arrangement of ligands around the central metal atom can lead to differences in energy levels of the d orbitals, affecting the absorption of light and hence the color of the compound.
In conclusion, the color difference between SnI₄ and SnCl₂ can be attributed to factors such as oxidation states, ligand effects, and crystal field theory, which influence the absorption of light and result in the observed yellow-orange and colorless colors, respectively.