What is Transition Metals? | Types, Definition, Structure, Function & Facts
What is Transition Metals?
Transition metals are a group of elements in the periodic table. They form the largest part of the periodic table located in the middle of the table, including columns 3 through 12.
What Elements are Transition Metals?
There are several elements that are classified as transition metals. They occupy columns 3 through 12 of the periodic table and include metals such as titanium, copper, nickel, silver, platinum, and gold.
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Lanthanides and actinides are sometimes included in the transition metal group. These are called “inner transition metals”.
Electron Shells
Transition elements are unique in that they can have an incomplete inner subshell that allows valence electrons to be in a different shell than the outer one. Other elements have only valence electrons in the outermost shell. This allows the transition metals to form several different oxidation states.
What are the similar properties of Transition Metals?
Transition metals share many similar properties, including:
They can form many compounds of different oxidation states.
They can form compounds with different colors.
They are metals and they conduct electricity.
They have high melting and boiling points.
They have a relatively high density.
They are synonyms.
Interesting Facts about Transition Metals
The group of transition metals is known as the “d-block” of the periodic table. There are 35 elements in block d.
Sometimes elements in column twelfth of the periodic table (zinc, cadmium, mercury, copernicium) are not included in the transition metal group.
Iron, cobalt and nickel are the only three elements that produce magnetic fields.
Chemists often use what is called “d electron count” instead of valence electrons to describe transition elements.
Due to their unique properties, transition metals are commonly used in industry as catalysts for various reactions.