Transition metals

• Transition metals are

  • very lustrous, they are hard, strong and are good conductors of heat and electricity
• • They are highly dense metals and have very high melting points
• Oxidation state 


  number given to show whether an element has been oxidised or reduced; the oxidation state of an ion is simply the charge on the ion.
• • Transition metals can have more than one oxidation state  as they can lose a different number of electrons, depending on the chemical environment they are in
• Transition metals form colourful compounds
• Transition metals are used as catalysts
• • Their catalytic characteristics stem from their ability to interchange between a range of oxidation states
  • This allows them to form complexes with reagents which can easily donate and accept electrons from other chemical species within a reaction system
• • The transition metals are also used in medicine and surgicalapplications such as limb and joint replacement
  • Titanium in particular is useful as it is the only element that can bond with bones due to its high biocompatibility
• • The transition metals are also used in medicine and surgicalapplications such as limb and joint replacement
  • Titanium in particular is useful as it is the only element that can bond with bones due to its high biocompatibility
• Industrial uses

  • They are also used to form coloured compounds in dyes and paints for both household and industrial applications
  • They are used in creating stained glass, jewelleryand in anti-corrosive materials
• • The transition elements are located between Groups 2 and 3 in the centre of the periodic table

  
• • All of the Group 1 metals form ions with a +1 charge while the transition metals can form ions with variable charges
  • For example iron can form an Fe2+ ion or an Fe3+ ion
• • The transition metals are much harder, stronger and denserthan the group 1 metals, which are very soft and light
• They have much higher melting points Than group 1
• • The transition metals are much less reactive than the Group 1 metals
  • The alkali metals react with water, oxygen and halogens while the transition metals either react very slowly or do not react at all
• • A Group 1 metal will tarnish in the presence of oxygen as a metal oxide is formed
  • When cut with a knife, the shiny appearance of the metal disappears in seconds as it is covered by the dull metal oxide
  • Iron on the other hand can take several weeks to react with oxygen to form iron oxide (rust) and requires the presence of water
• Although scandium and zinc are in the transition metal area of the Periodic table, they are not considered transition elements as they do not form coloured compounds and have only one oxidation state.
• • Covalent bonds:
  • non-metal atoms share pairs of electrons between each other
• • Metallic bonds:
  • This type of bonding occurs in metals and metal alloys (mixtures of metals)
• • Metallic bonds:
  • This type of bonding occurs in metals and metal alloys (mixtures of metals)