Transition metals

• Metals


  • iron
  • copper
  • nickel
• Alloys


  • steel (containing iron)
  • brass (containing copper and zinc)
• Transition elements


  Metals positioned in the large central block of the periodic table, between Group 2 and Group 3
• Transition elements

  • Sc
  • Ti
  • V
  • Cr
  • Mn
  • Fe
  • Co
  • Ni
  • Cu
  • Zn
  • Y
  • Zr
  • Nb
  • Mo
  • Tc
  • Ru
  • Rh
  • Pd
  • Ag
  • Cd
  • Hf
  • Ta
  • W
  • Re
  • Os
  • Ir
  • Pt
  • Au
  • Hg
• Transition elements


  • Good conductors of electricity and thermal energy
  • Hard and strong
  • High densities
  • High melting points (except mercury)
• Reactivity of transition elements

  Much less reactive than the metals in Group 1
• Copper reacts with oxygen


  Slowly forms a black coating of copper(II) oxide
• Iron reacts with chlorine

  Requires heating and forms red iron(II) chloride
• Transition elements


  • Corrode very slowly
  • Have physical properties that make them useful as structural materials
• Iron (usually in steel) rusts


  Weakens structures
• Transition element compounds


  Many form coloured compounds
• Coloured transition element compounds

  • Copper(II) sulfate (blue)
  • Nickel(II) carbonate (pale green)
  • Chromium(III) oxide (dark green)
  • Manganese(II) chloride (pale pink)
• The colours of vanadium ions can vary
• Naming compounds with transition elements

  Includes a Roman number to indicate the ion's oxidation state
• Transition element compounds

  • Copper(II) sulfate
  • Iron(III) oxide
• Compounds of different transition element ions have different colours
• Transition element ion colours

  • Iron(II) ions (Fe2+) give green compounds

  Iron(III) ions (Fe3+) give reddish-brown compounds
• Transition elements and their compounds are important as catalysts in the chemical industry
• Transition element catalysts


  • Nickel used in margarine manufacture

  Iron used in the Haber process to make ammonia