Transition Metals Example

The Transition Metals are those Chemical Elements cataloged as Metals, and whose matter is organized by the strongest and most ordered Metallic Links, which gives them the most useful properties for human and industrial activities.

When you go down in the columns or groups of the Periodic Table of the Elements, the metallic character of the Elements increases, that is, your tendency to lose electrons, which is also called Nature Electropositive.

Of the metals of groups IA and IIA, those lower in the table, which are those of highest atomic number, are the most active, because the valence electrons are even further from the nucleus, surrounded by the inner electrons. They are better able to release those of valence.

The first elements, the smallest, from groups IIIA to VIIA are Non-Metallic, so they are Electronegative in nature, that is, they attract electrons from others. As larger elements are progressed in these same groups, they gradually acquire a Metallic character.

Characteristics of Transition Metals

In general, there are one or two electrons in the outer level of maximum energy of the atoms, while the number of electrons in the penultimate level corresponds to the number of the group.

Transition Metals have a Gradual Variation in their Physical and Chemical Properties as their atomic number increases.

As in the groups of "Representative Elements" or "Groups A", in the Groups of Transition Metals there is also a similarity in the physical and chemical properties of the elements. For example, in group 17, made up of Copper (Cu), Silver (Ag) and Gold (Au), they are excellent conductors of heat and electricity, and they form analogous complex ions. Gold is the least electropositive of the three metals. This equates to lower chemical activity and higher Density and Ductility (ability to become thin wires or filaments) of the metal.

In period 4, Scandium (Sc) and Titanium (Ti) are brittle; the following elements are less so, and their ductility becomes more and more evident, until reaching the maximum in the element Copper (Cu), in group 17.

Transition Metal Properties

The metals conduct electricity, although the passage of the electric current does not seem to produce an appreciable chemical effect on them. The ability of metals to conduct electric current is explained because in a mass of metal where the atoms are arranged in geometric order defined, there are enough weakly retained electrons which, on applying a potential difference, jump from atom to atom towards the pole positive.

This flow of electrons through the mass is that of the current, since the electrons are supplied at the negative pole and emerge from the metal at the positive pole.

The Metals are good Heat Conductors. They clearly differ from non-metallic elements by this. This is also explained because the weakly retained electrons of the metal atoms transmit energy, while the electrons are electrons from non-metallic elements are tightly bound and cannot transmit their energy to adjacent electrons from atoms contiguous.

In contrast to nonmetals, which are often brittle, Typical metals are tough, ductile, elastic and malleable.

Metal atoms lose electrons and form positive ions in solution; they do not capture electrons to form simple negative ions. Although some metals become part of compound or complex negative ions, such as permanganate ions (MnO₄^-), or Chromate (CrO₄^-2), in none of them is metal considered a negative component.

The metals act as reducers by losing electrons. The hydroxides of metals are essentially basic in character.

The physical properties of metals, also considered as metallic characteristics, such as conductivity electrical and thermal, ductility, malleability, gloss, are not closely related to the properties Chemicals.

Thus, Gold (Au) shows very marked metallic characteristics. It is a good conductor of heat and electricity, it has an intense shine and is very malleable and tough; but it does not show the metallic chemical properties (electropositivity) to a good degree. This divergence is especially noticeable in transition metals.

Transition Metal Groups

Transition Metals are placed in the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements according to the electrons they have at the level below the valence level. They are almost all groups of three different elements, with similar properties, except for the last one, in which nine of them are grouped. They are located by groups, called Groups B of the Periodic Table. Their organization is described below:

Group	Elements that make it up
IB	Copper (Cu), Silver (Ag), Gold (Au)
IIB	Zinc (Zn), Cadmium (Cd), Mercury (Hg)
IIIB	Scandium (Sc), Yttrium (Y)
IVB	Titanium (Ti), Zirconium (Zr), Hafnium (Hf)
VB	Vanadium (V), Niobium (Nb), Tantalum (Ta)
VIB	Chromium (Cr), Molybdenum (Mo), Tungsten (W)
VIIB	Manganese (Mn), Technetium (Tc), Rhenium (Re)
VIIIB	Iron (Fe), Ruthenium (Ru), Osmium (Os) Cobalt (Co), Rhodium (Rh), Iridium (Ir) Nickel (Ni), Palladium (Pd), Platinum (Pt

Examples of Transition Metals

1. Copper (Cu)
2. Silver (Ag)
3. Gold (Au)
4. Zinc (Zn)
5. Cadmium (Cd)
6. Mercury (Hg)
7. Cobalt (Co)
8. Iridium (Go)
9. Iron (Fe)
10. Ruthenium (Ru)
11. Osmium (Os)
12. Manganese (Mn)
13. Technetium (Tc)
14. Rhenium (Re)
15. Titanium (Ti)
16. Zirconium (Zr)
17. Hafnium (Hf)
18. Scandium (Sc)
19. Yttrium (Y)
20. Chromium (Cr)
21. Molybdenum (Mo)
22. Tungsten (W)
23. Tantalum (Ta)
24. Niobium (Nb)
25. Vanadium (V)
26. Nickel (Ni)
27. Palladium (Pd)
28. Platinum (Pt)