Okuzeka
Chemistry vocabulary · Atoms and the Periodic Table

Transition metal

Meaning in chemistry, with examples

nounCommon term

In chemistry, transition metal means: A metal from the central block of the periodic table, usually taken as groups 3 to 12, such as iron, copper, nickel and platinum. Many form colored compounds and have several oxidation states.

In Turkish: geçiş metali, geçiş elementi

How it is used

Used in inorganic chemistry and catalysis. You speak of transition metal complexes, transition metal catalysts and d-block elements. Their colored solutions are a familiar sight in teaching labs.

Example sentences

  1. Many transition metal ions give colored solutions, for example blue Cu²⁺.

  2. Palladium is a transition metal widely used as a catalyst.

Common collocations

  • transition metal complex
  • transition metal catalyst
  • d-block element
  • transition metal ion
  • periodic tableA chart that arranges all known elements in order of atomic number, in rows called periods and columns called groups. Elements in the same group behave in similar ways.
  • elementA pure substance made of only one kind of atom, all with the same number of protons. It cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical reactions.
  • catalystA substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being used up. It works by offering a different pathway with a lower activation energy.
  • electron configurationThe way an atom's electrons are arranged in shells and orbitals, written for example as 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s¹ for sodium.

More terms: Atoms and the Periodic Table

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: