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Topic 15 - Transition Metals

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Total cards: 24•Content version: v4•Public deck•Updated: 8/1/2026

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#1
Front (Question)

What are transition metals?

Back (Answer)

d-block elements which can form one or more stable ions with incompletely-filled d-orbitals -aka every d-block element except zinc and scandium

#2
Front (Question)

Why are zinc and scandium not transition metals?

Back (Answer)

• zinc’s ion Zn2+ has a full d-subshell - scandium’s ion Sc3+ has an empty d-subshell

#3
Front (Question)

Why do transition metals show variable oxidation number?

Back (Answer)

they can form ions by loosing electrons from their 4s or 3d subshells

#4
Front (Question)

What is a ligand?

Back (Answer)

a molecule/negative ion with a lone pair of electrons which can form a dative bond with the empty, available d-orbitals of a transition metal

#5
Front (Question)

What is a complex ion?

Back (Answer)

a central transition metal ion surrounded by ligands

#6
Front (Question)

What is the coordination number (of a complex ion)?

Back (Answer)

the number of molecules/atoms a transition metal can datively bond to -aka number of ligands

#7
Front (Question)

How do you name complex ions?

Back (Answer)

• number of ligands (di, tri, tetra, penta, hexa etc) • ligand (aqua, ammine, hydroxo, chloro, fluoro, cyano, etc) • name of transition metal (or latin for anionic complexes: chromate, ferate, cobaltate, aluminate, vandate, cuprate, etc)

#8
Front (Question)

What is a cationic complex?

Back (Answer)

a complex ion with a positive charge

#9
Front (Question)

What is an anionic complex?

Back (Answer)

a complex ion with a negative charge

#10
Front (Question)

What is a monodentate ligand?

Back (Answer)

a ligand with one long pair of electrons/that can form one dative bond eg. Cl-, H20, CN-, NH3

#11
Front (Question)

What is a bidentate ligand?

Back (Answer)

a ligand with two long pairs of electrons/that can form two dative bonds eg. NH2CH2CH2NH2 (1,2 diaminoethane)

#12
Front (Question)

What is a polydentate ligand?

Back (Answer)

a ligand with multiple long pairs of electrons/that can form multiple dative bonds eg. EDTA2- (hexadentate ligand)

#13
Front (Question)

Where does the colour of transition metal ions and complex ions come from?

Back (Answer)

splitting of energy levels of the d-orbitals by ligands • repulsion between the 3d electrons and the ligand’s lone pair of electrons increases the energy of the transition metal’s d-orbitals • some d-orbitals rise in energy more than others, which creates a gap between the d-orbitals • a particular wavelength of light is absorbed, which promotes electrons within the d-orbitals • the complementary colour is reflected

#14
Front (Question)

Why do some aqueous transition metal ions and complex ions have a lack of colour?

Back (Answer)

no d-orbital electrons or d subshell is full so no electrons jump so no energy is absorbed

#15
Front (Question)

What could cause a change of colour in transition metal ions?

Back (Answer)

• change in oxidation number • change in ligand • change in coordination number

#16
Front (Question)

How is haemoglobin an example of a complex ion?

Back (Answer)

it is an iron (II) complex containing a multidentate ligand -ligand exchange rxn occurs when an oxygen molecule bond to haemoglobin it replaced with a carbon monoxide molecule

#17
Front (Question)

What is the colour of the vanadium ion with an oxidation number of +5 aka VO2 +?

Back (Answer)

yellow

#18
Front (Question)

What is the colour of the vanadium ion with an oxidation number of +4 aka VO 2+?

Back (Answer)

blue

#19
Front (Question)

What is the colour of the vanadium ion with an oxidation number of +3 aka V3+?

Back (Answer)

green

#20
Front (Question)

What is the colour of the vanadium ion with an oxidation number of +2 aka V2+?

Back (Answer)

violet

#21
Front (Question)

How can Cr2O7 2- be reduced to Cr3+ and then reduced further to Cr2+?

Back (Answer)

using zinc (as reducing agent) in dilute acid

#22
Front (Question)

How can Cr3+ be oxidised to Cr2O7 2-?

Back (Answer)

using hydrogen peroxide in alkaline conditions followed by acidification

#23
Front (Question)

2CrO4 2− + 2H+ ⇌

Back (Answer)

Cr2O7 2− + H2O

#24
Front (Question)

What is observed when a little sodium hydroxide is added to chromium ions?

Back (Answer)

green solution changes to grey-green ppt