Transition elements
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| transition elements | 过渡元素 | guò dù yuán sù |
| catalysts | 催化剂 | cuī huà jì |
| variable charges | 可变电荷 | kě biàn diàn hè |
The metals in the middle
- The big block of metals in the centre of the table includes iron, copper and gold.
- These are the transition elements 过渡元素, with their own special properties.
Transition element lab
Match transition-metal properties to real examples.
Which are properties of transition metals? (Select all that apply.)
They are dense, not low-density.
Transition metals are less reactive than Group I metals.
They are much less reactive than the alkali metals.
Properties of transition metals
- They are hard, strong, dense, with high melting points.
- They are far less reactive than the Group I metals.
The transition metals form the central block of the periodic table
Many transition metals are useful as:
E.g. iron catalyses the Haber process.
Unlike most other metals, transition-metal compounds are often ______.
E.g. blue copper sulfate.
Coloured and catalytic
- Their compounds are often coloured (e.g. blue copper sulfate, green iron compounds).
- Many are useful catalysts 催化剂 (e.g. iron in the Haber process).
Transition metals can form ions with:
E.g. iron forms Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺.
Variable charges 可变电荷
- Transition metals can form ions with different charges (e.g. iron as Fe²⁺ or Fe³⁺).
- This is unlike Group I or II metals, which have a single fixed charge.
Transition metals differ from Group I in every way. They are harder, denser, much less reactive, form coloured compounds, and act as catalysts — the opposite of the soft, reactive Group I metals.
You've got it
- transition elements are hard, strong, dense, with high melting points
- they form coloured compounds and act as catalysts
- they have variable charges (e.g. Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺), unlike Group I/II