Properties of transision metals

• Transition metals compared to group 1


  • Harder and stronger
  • Higher melting points (except for mercury) and higher densities
  • Much less reactive and don't react as vigorously with oxygen or water
• Transition metals


  • chromium
  • manganese
  • iron
  • cobalt
  • nickel
  • copper
• chromium


  Lustrous, brittle, hard metal
• manganese


  Hard and very brittle, difficult to fuse, but easy to oxidise
• iron


  Good conductor, rusts easily in air, strong, ductile
• cobalt


  Brittle, hard, high melting point
• nickel


  Hard, malleable, and ductile, fairly good conductor of heat and electricity
• copper


  Highly ductile and conductive, malleable and soft
• Typical properties of transition metals


  • They have ions with many different charges
  • Form coloured compounds
  • Are useful as catalysts
• Transition metal ion charges

  • chromium: +2 +3 +4 +5 +6
  • manganese: +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7
  • iron: +2 +3 +4 +5 +6
  • cobalt: +2 +3 +4 +5
  • nickel: +2 +3 +4
  • copper: +1 +2 +3
• Colours of compounds with transition metals

  • chromium: +2 +3 +6
  • manganese: +2 +4 +6 +7
  • iron: +2 +3
  • cobalt: +2 +3
  • nickel: +2
  • copper: +2
• Uses of transition metals as catalysts


  • Decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (2H2O2 -> 2H2O + O2)
  • Haber process (N2 + 3H2 ↔ 2NH3)
  • Manufacture of margarine (adding H2 to double bonds)