The Typical Characteristics of Transition Metals
RevisionNotes.Co.Uk - Free Revision and Course Notes for UK Students
 
Home : GCSE : Chemistry : Periodic Table : The Typical Characteristics of Transition Metals
 Revision Notes
 GCSE
 A-Level
 University
 IB
 User Options
 Search
 My Revision Notes
 Bookmark Page
 Contribute
 Contribute Work
 Other Sites
 AcademicDB
 Coursework.Info

The Typical Characteristics of Transition Metals
Bookmark this page

(a) High Melting Point and Boiling Point

The bonding between the atoms in transition metals is very strong. The strong attractive force between the atoms is only weakened at high temperatures, hence the high melting points and boiling points.

For example: iron melts at 1535°C and boils at 2750°C BUT a Group 1 Alkali Metals such as sodium melts at 98°C and boils at 883°C.

 

(b) High density

Another consequence of the strong bonding between the atoms in transition metals is they are tightly held together to give a high density.

For example: iron has a density of 7.9 g/cm3 and sodium has a density of 0.97 g/cm3 (and floats on water while fizzing! water has a density of 1.0 g/cm3).

 

(c) Form coloured compounds and ions in solution

Transition metals tend to form more coloured compounds more than other elements either in solid form or dissolved in a solvent. The colours of some transition metal salts in aqueous solution are shown below.

1  2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

  1. Sc - scandium salts such as the chloride, ScCl3, are colourless and not typical of transition metals
  2. Ti - titanium(III) chloride, TiCl3, is purple
  3. V - vanadium(III) chloride, VCl3, is green
  4. Cr - chromium(III) sulphate, Cr2(SO4)3, is dark green
  5. Mn - potassium manganate(VII), KMnO4, is purple
  6. Fe - iron(III) chloride, FeCl3, is yellow-orange-brown
  7. Co - cobalt sulphate, CoSO4, is pinkish
  8. Ni - nickel chloride, NiCl2, is green
  9. Cu - copper(II) sulphate, CuSO4, is deep blue
  10. Zn - zinc salts such as zinc sulphate, ZnSO4, are usually colourless and not typical of transition metals

 

(d) Catalytic Properties

(1) The metallic elements themselves

Many transition metals are used directly as catalysts in industrial chemical processes and in the anti-pollution catalytic converters in car exhausts.

For example iron is used in the Haber Synthesis of ammonia:

Nitrogen + Hydrogen è Ammonia

or N2 + 3H2 è 2NH3 via the Fe catalyst atoms

 

(2) The compounds of transition metals

As well as the metals, the compounds of transition metals also acts as catalysts.

For example manganese dioxide (or manganese(IV) oxide), MnO2, a black powder, readily decomposes an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide:

Hydrogen peroxide è water + oxygen

or 2H2O2 è 2H2O + O2 via MnO2 as the catalyst

Other Notes in this Category

  1. Some Reminders about the Periodic Table
  2. The Typical Characteristics of Transition Metals
  3. The Uses of Transition Metals
  4. Where are they in the Periodic Table?

Didn't find this useful?

  • Visit Coursework.Info for over 14,000 GCSE, A-Level and University Essays

 

© UK-Learning 2001-3. Disclaimer, Feedback, Other Stuff.