5.1C - Properties of transition metals
Transition metals include iron, copper and nickel. You will learn their typical physical properties, how their compounds can differ from the metals themselves, and what catalytic activity means.
Recognising transition metals
At GCSE, transition metals occupy the large central block of the periodic table. Most metals are transition metals. Examples include iron, copper, nickel, cobalt, chromium and manganese; sodium, magnesium and aluminium are metals outside this block.
Two typical physical properties are high melting point and high density. High melting point means a high temperature is needed to melt the solid. Density is mass per unit volume: for equal volumes, the denser sample has the greater mass.
These are typical properties, not an infallible identification test. A metal's properties alone do not prove where it belongs in the periodic table.
Coloured compounds
Transition metals often form coloured compounds. This describes a compound containing the metal, not necessarily the colour of the pure metal. For example, aqueous copper(II) sulfate is blue, whereas copper metal is reddish-brown. Some iron(II) compounds are pale green and some iron(III) compounds are orange-brown.
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