Transition Metals

This lesson covers the transition metals as required by the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry specification (1CH0), Topic 6: Groups in the Periodic Table. You need to know the typical properties of transition metals, understand how they differ from Group 1 metals, and recall examples of their coloured compounds, variable oxidation states and catalytic activity.

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Position in the Periodic Table

The transition metals are found in the central block of the periodic table, between Group 2 and Group 3. This block includes well-known metals such as iron, copper, nickel, zinc, chromium, manganese, cobalt and platinum.

Strictly, zinc is sometimes excluded from the transition metals by a precise chemical definition, but at GCSE level it is typically included when discussing the properties of this block of elements.

The transition metals form a large block spanning periods 4 to 7 horizontally. The most commonly studied examples at GCSE are from Period 4: