Post-transition, Poor, Other Metals | Types, Definition, Structure, Function & Facts
What is Post-transition, Poor, Other Metals?
The transition metals are a group of elements in the periodic table. They are located to the right of the transition metals and to the left of the metalloids. They are also known as “other” metals and “poor” metals.
What elements are post-transition metals?
Scientists don’t seem to agree on what to call this group of metals (poor, other, post-conversion) or what elements to include. In general, the post-conversion metalloids include all group 13, 14 and 15 metals namely aluminum, gallium, indium, tin, thallium, lead and bismuth. Polonium is also commonly classified as a post-conversion metal.
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What are the similar properties of post-transition metals?
They are solid metals under standard conditions.Like most metals, they are malleable, ductile, and conduct heat and electricity well.
They have a fairly high density.
Compared to transition metals, they are generally softer and have lower melting and boiling points.
Order of Abundance
The most abundant post-conversion metal on Earth is aluminum, which is also the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust. Here is a list of post-conversion metals in order of prevalence in the Earth’s crust:
- Aluminum
- Gallium
- Lead
- Tin
- Thallium
- Indium
- Bismuth
Interesting Facts about Post-transition Metals
Sometimes zinc, cadmium, and mercury are classified as post-transition metals rather than transition metals.
Aluminum is the third most abundant element in the earth’s crust after oxygen and silicon.
Sometimes germanium and antimony are classified as post-transition metals instead of metalloids.
The melting point of gallium is only slightly above room temperature and it melts in the hand.
Bismuth is used in Pepto-Bismol, a medicine used to relieve stomach pain. Bismuth was once considered the heaviest stable element, but has recently been discovered to be slightly radioactive.
Indium is used in electronics, including flat screens and touch screens.
The name thallium comes from the Greek word “thallos” which means “green bud or branch”.
Thallium is highly toxic and can be fatal. One of the symptoms of thallium poisoning is hair loss.