Transition metals

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

Card preview (24)

Front (Question)

What is a transition element?

Back (Answer)

• element that forms at least one stable ion • with partially filled d sub-shell

Front (Question)

Why is scandium not a transition metal?

Back (Answer)

• does not have partially filled d sub-shell • only forms one ion Sc3+

Front (Question)

Why is zinc not a transition metal?

Back (Answer)

• full d sub-shell • Zn+ = only ion formed

Front (Question)

What are the key features of transition elements?

Back (Answer)

• complex ions formed • coloured ions formed • catalytic properties • variable oxidation states

Front (Question)

what is a co-ordinate bond?

Back (Answer)

• shared pair of electrons • both from same atom

Front (Question)

what is a ligand?

Back (Answer)

• ion/molecule with lone pair of e- • can form co-ordinate bond with transition metal ion • e.g. H2O

Front (Question)

what is a bidentate ligand?

Back (Answer)

• ion/molecule with 2 lone pairs of e- • on two different atoms • each forms co-ordinate bond with metal ion

Front (Question)

what is a co-ordination number?

Back (Answer)

number of bonds a transition metal forms

Front (Question)

what is a complex ion?

Back (Answer)

central atom/ion surrounded by ligands

#10

Front (Question)

what is the electron configuration of copper?

Back (Answer)

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s1

#11

Front (Question)

what is the rule for electron configurations of transition metal ions?

Back (Answer)

First in - First out 4s sub-shell empties first

#12

Front (Question)

What are the 3 types of ligands that transition metals can form?

Back (Answer)

• monodentate = each ligand forms 1 co-ordinate bond • bidentate = each ligand forms 2 co-ordinate bonds • multidentate = each ligand forms 2 or more co-ordinate bonds

#13

Front (Question)

What are the 3 monodentate ligands?

Back (Answer)

• NH3 • H2O • Cl-

#14

Front (Question)

What are the two bidentate ligands?

Back (Answer)

• Ethane-1,2-diamine OR 1,2-diaminoethane H2:N-CH2-CH2-N:H2 • ethandioate ion

#15

Front (Question)

What are the 4 shapes that transition metals form?

Back (Answer)

• Octahedral • Tetrahedral • Square planar • Linear

#16

Front (Question)

What is an example of an octahedral complex?

Back (Answer)

• [Cu(H2O)6] 2+ • H2O = no charge • overall charge = 2+ • oxidation state of Cu = 2+

#17

Front (Question)

What is an example of a tetrahedral complex?

Back (Answer)

• [CoCl4] 2- • Cl- = 1- charge • overall charge - 2- • oxidation state of Co = 2+ • Cl- ions = relatively large

#18

Front (Question)

What is an example of a square planar complex?

Back (Answer)

• [Ni(CN)4] 2- • CN = 1- charge • overall charge = 2+ • oxidation state of Ni = 2+

#19

Front (Question)

What is an example of a linear complex?

Back (Answer)

• [Ag(NH3)2] + • NH3 = no charge • overall charge = 1+ • oxidation state of Ag = 1+

#20

Front (Question)

What is an example of a bidentate octahedral complex?

Back (Answer)

• [Ni(NH2CH2CH2NH2)3] 2+ • oxidation state of Ni = 2+

#21

Front (Question)

Copper(I) iodide is a white solid. Explain why copper(I) iodide is white

Back (Answer)

• Full (3)d (sub)shell or (3)d10 • No (d-d) transitions possible/ cannot absorb visible/white light

#22

Front (Question)

[EDTA] 4-

Back (Answer)

• hexadentate ligand • can form 6 coordinate bonds • 2 from N atoms • 4 from O- atoms

#23

Front (Question)

[Cu(H2O)6]2+ —-> [Cu(H2O)2(NH3)4) 2+ ligand substitution

Back (Answer)

[Cu(H2O)6]2+ + 4NH3 —> [Cu(H2O)2(NH3)4] 2+ + 4H2O

#24

Front (Question)

ligand substitution with [Cu(H2O)6]2+ and CN

Back (Answer)

[Cu(H2O)6]2+ + CN —> [Cu(H2O)5 CN]+ + H2O