GCSE Chemistry · AQA 8462 · Topic 4.1.3

Properties of transition metals

Key points

The transition metals sit in the central block of the periodic table, e.g. chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel and copper.
Compared with Group 1 metals they have higher melting points (except mercury), higher densities, and are harder and stronger.
They are much less reactive than Group 1 metals and do not react quickly with water or oxygen.
They form ions with different charges, for example $Fe^{2+}$ and $Fe^{3+}$ , or $Cu^{+}$ and $Cu^{2+}$ .
Their compounds are often coloured, e.g. copper(II) compounds are often blue and iron(II) compounds pale green.
Many are useful catalysts: iron in the Haber process, nickel for hardening vegetable oils and manganese(IV) oxide for decomposing hydrogen peroxide.

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The transition metals fill the wide central block of the periodic table between Group 2 and Group 3. You need to compare them with the alkali metals and know the special properties that make them so useful. This is chemistry-only content.

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