Properties of Transition Metals (AQA GCSE Chemistry)

Exam Questions

2 hours24 questions
1a1 mark

Transition elements are metals with similar properties.

Where are they found in the periodic table?

Tick (✓) one box.

In Group 1  
Between Group 2 and 3  
In Group 0  
Between Group 4 and 5  
1b2 marks

Which of the following metals are transition elements?

Tick (✓) two boxes.

Calcium  
Copper  
Caesium  
Chlorine  
Chromium  
1c3 marks

Iron is a transition element. An atom of iron has the symbol begin mathsize 14px style Fe subscript 26 superscript 56 end style

Give the number of protons, electrons and neutrons in an atom of iron.

1d2 marks

Iron reacts with oxygen to form iron(II) oxide.

Complete the balanced symbol equation for this reaction.

___ Fe   +   O2   →   ___  FeO

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2a4 marks

Manganese is a typical transition element

Which of the following properties would you expect manganese to have.

Tick (✓) four boxes.

Property  
Low melting point  
Useful as a catalyst  
Only forms a 1+ ion  
Dull  
Soft  
Good conductor of heat and electricity  
Low density  
Brittle  
Forms coloured compounds  
Strong  
2b1 mark

Sodium is a Group 1 metal.

Which of the following properties would you expect sodium and manganese to both have.

Tick (✓) one box.

Property  
Low melting point  
Useful as a catalyst  
Only forms a 1+ ion  
Dull  
Soft  
Good conductor of heat and electricity  
Low density  
Brittle  
Forms coloured compounds  
Strong  

2c2 marks

Give two properties listed in the table in part a) that sodium would have but manganese would not.

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3a4 marks

Transition elements and their compounds have many different uses.

Draw a ring around the correct words to complete the sentences.

Gold is used in jewellery because it 

conducts electricity.

is dull.

does not react with air.

Copper is used in wiring because it

conducts electricity.

is dull.

does not react with air.

Cobalt oxide is added to glazes in pottery as it

is a catalyst.

is a coloured compound.

conducts electricity.

Iron is used to build bridges because it

is strong.

is brittle.

conducts electricity.



3b3 marks

Transition elements and alkali metals are all metals that have some differing properties.

Draw one line from each property to the metal it relates to.

WdMS6~Zc_transition-element-properties

3c1 mark

Which of the following metals would be most suitable as a catalyst?

Tick (✓) one box.

Sodium  
Nickel  
Calcium  
Aluminium  

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4a2 marks

Copper is a useful transition element.

What properties of copper make it suitable to make pipes that carry water, for example, in central heating systems.


Tick (✓) two boxes.

It conducts electricity  
It can be bent and shaped  
It conducts heat  
It is reddish-brown in appearance  
It does not react with water  
4b2 marks

Copper can be alloyed with zinc to make brass.

Brass is used to make musical instruments.

Explain why brass is more suitable for making musical instruments than copper?

4c1 mark

Copper reacts slowly with oxygen in the air to form copper oxide.

Complete the word equation for this reaction.

____________________   +   oxygen   →   ____________________

4d1 mark

Copper can form copper(I) ions, Cu+ and copper(II) ions, Cu2+.

What would the formula be of copper(I) oxide?

Tick (✓) one box.

CuO  
Cu2O  
CuO2  
Cu2O2  
4e1 mark

Copper doesn't react with most dilute acids but it can react with dilute nitric acid.

What is the name of the salt produced when copper reacts with nitric acid?

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1a2 marks

Iron is a transition metal and is one of the most widely used metals. 

Name two physical properties that iron shares with all metals.

1b2 marks

Complete and balance the equation for the reaction of iron with hydrochloric acid

___Fe   +   ___HCl   →   ________   +   H2 

1c3 marks

Francium lies at the bottom of Group 1 on the Periodic Table and is the most reactive member of the alkali metals. 

Explain why it is the most reactive, referring to its electronic structure.

1d3 marks

The properties of the transition elements are different from the elements in Group 1. 

State three of these different properties of transition elements. 

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21 mark

Transition metals are located in the middle of the periodic table and have certain properties.

Which two properties do most transition metals have? 

  Property 1 Property 2 
 A soft form colourless compounds
 B high melting points low densities
 C high densities form coloured compounds
 D form ions with multiple charges do not conduct electricity

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    31 mark

    Nitrogen and water are produced when ammonia reacts with oxygen. 

    A metal oxide catalyst is used to speed up the rate of reaction.

    Which of the following metal oxides would most likely be used for this reaction?

    • Na2O

    • Li2O

    • Al2O3

    • Cr2O3

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    4a3 marks

    An atom of titanium has the symbol, Ti subscript 22 superscript 48

    Write down the number of protons, neutrons and electrons in this atom.

    Protons       _____________________

    Neutrons     _____________________

    Electrons    _____________________

    4b1 mark

    Using the Periodic Table, state why titanium is referred to as a transition element. 

    4c2 marks

    Explain why titanium is a good conductor of electricity.

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    5a4 marks

    Rhodium is a typical transition metal.

    Place a tick (✔) next to each of the four properties in the table that you would expect for rhodium.

    Property

     

    strong

     

    reactive

     

    low boiling point

     

    forms coloured compounds

     

    high melting point

     

    dull

     

    brittle

     

    conducts heat

     

    5b2 marks

    Rhodium is used in the production of alloys and in ornaments and jewellery although its main use is in the automotive industry. 

    It is used in the exhaust systems where it changes harmful unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide emissions into less toxic gases.

    Suggest two properties of rhodium that allows it to be used in this way.

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    6a2 marks

    Platinum and gold are used extensively in the production of wedding rings. 

    They both have specific properties which makes them ideal for this use.

    Tick (✔) two of these properties.

    Property

    Tick

    These metals are extremely tough and hard.

     

    These metals have low densities.

     

    These metals do not react with water.

     

    These metals have low melting points.

     

    These metals do not react with air.

     

    6b1 mark

    Iron oxide and cobalt oxide are used in glazing pottery. 

    Iron (III) oxide contains the ions, Fe3+ and O2-.

    What is the formula of iron (III) oxide? 

    6c1 mark

    Cobalt oxide can be reduced by hydrogen to form cobalt. 

    Balance the equation below for this reaction:

    CoO4   +   ___H2   →   Co   +   ___H2O

    6d2 marks

    Alloys can be made from cobalt mixed with other transition elements. 

    These alloys are used to make cutting tools and knife edges which remain sharp at very high temperatures. 

    They are often used to cut through other metals. 

    drill-bit

    Suggest two properties of transition metals that make them suitable for this purpose.

    6e3 marks

    Potassium is a Group 1 element and chromium is a transition element. 

    Identify three differences in their physical properties.

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    71 mark

    A catalyst is used during the Haber Process to manufacture ammonia.

    Which elements are usually used as catalysts?

    • The transition metals

    • The alkali metals 

    • The noble gases 

    • The halogens 

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    81 mark

    Nickel is a transition metal.

    Sodium is a Group 1 metal. 

    Which statement below is correct when comparing their properties?

    • Group 1 metals are less reactive than transition metals

    • Group 1 metals are harder than transition metals

    • Transition metals have lower melting points than Group 1 metals 

    • Transition metals are more dense than Group 1 metals

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    91 mark

    Which combination of properties makes transition metals suitable for use in cutting tools?

      Property 1 Property 2 
    A malleable  hard
    B strong ductile
    C not reactive high melting point
    D high boiling point conducts electricity 

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      10a1 mark

      What is the name used to describe the block of elements in the middle of the Periodic Table?

      10b2 marks

      Some of the properties of the element called vanadium are shown below: 

      • It has a high melting point and is solid at room temperature.
      • It is a conductor of electricity and electricity.
      • It forms coloured compounds.
      • It forms crystalline compounds.
      • It forms compounds that are used as catalysts.

      From the list choose two properties which are considered typical of transition metals metals.

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      11a2 marks

      The transition elements have certain properties which make them very useful. 

      Why is copper used to produce electrical wiring?

      electrical-wiring

      11b1 mark

      State why their compounds are used in glazing pottery. 

      glazing-pottery

      11c1 mark

      Why is iron used in the construction industry as girders in buildings?

      iron-girders

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      1a3 marks

      Vanadium reacts with excess oxygen to form vanadium(III) oxide.

      Write the balanced symbol equation for the reaction.

      1b1 mark

      Vanadium(III) ions can be reduced to vanadium(II) ions.

      In terms of electrons, what does reduction mean?

      1c2 marks

      Write the half equation to show the reduction of vanadium(III) ions to vanadium(II) ions.

      1d3 marks

      Describe the structure and bonding in vanadium.

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      2a6 marks

      Nickel has been used in making the electrodes in spark plugs in car engines for many years. Spark plugs are responsible for igniting the fuel in the combustion engine.

      The material the electrodes are made of need to be able to withstand the very high temperatures and corrosive atmosphere found in the car engine and also be able to conduct electricity.

      More recently, platinum has been used to make the electrode in spark plugs.

      Table 1 shows some information about nickel and platinum.

      Table 1

        Nickel Platinum
      Melting point in oC 1455 1769
      Boiling point in oC 2920 4107
      Cost in £ per kg 22 25,058
      Approximate lifetime in km 30,000 70,000
      Efficiency Reduces rapidly, petrol is not burnt completely More efficient, petrol is burnt completely for much longer
      Relative reactivity More reactive than gold Less reactive than gold

      Evaluate the use of nickel and platinum for making the electrodes in spark plugs.

      You should refer to the information in Table 1 and your knowledge about the properties of these metals in your answer.

      2b1 mark

      Spark plugs with iridium electrodes are also available. They can last 25% longer than platinum spark plugs.

      Iridium is six times harder than platinum with a melting point 700 oC higher. 

      Suggest one other property of iridium.

      2c2 marks

      Platinum, palladium and rhodium are all used within a catalytic convertor to remove harmful gases from the car's exhaust.

      The catalytic convertor consists of a honeycomb structure which is coated with the metals. The exhaust gases travel through the catalytic convertor before leaving the vehicle.

      Suggest why the convertor has a honeycomb structure.

      Explain your answer.

      2d
      Sme Calculator
      3 marks

      Table 2 shows the amount of metals used in a catalytic convertor and the cost of each metal.

      Table 2

      Metal Platinum Palladium Rhodium
      Mass of metal used in catalytic convertor in grams 5.8 4.5 2.1
      Cost of metal in £ per gram 25.06 48.32 363.27


      What is the total cost of the three metals used in the catalytic convertor?

      Give your answer to the nearest pound.

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      3a6 marks

      The transition elements are metals which are found in the central section of the periodic table.

      Group 1 elements are also metals.

      Table 1 shows the melting point and oxide formulae of two elements from Group 1 and two transition elements

      Table 1

       

      Lithium

      Rubidium

      Chromium

      Cobalt

      Melting point
      in °C

      180

      39

      1857

      1535

      Formula of oxides

      Li2O

      Rb2O

      CrO

      Cr2O3

      CrO2

      CrO3


      CoO

      Co2O3

      Co3O4

       

      Use the data from Table 1 and your knowledge of Group 1 metals and transition metals to compare their chemical and physical properties.

      3b4 marks

      Iron is another transition metal. When it reacts with oxygen, it can form different compounds which contain the Fe2+ ion or the Fe3+ ion.

      Complete the two balanced symbol equations for the reaction between iron and oxygen to show how the different compounds are formed.

      Formation of compound containing Fe2+ ions:   


      ___ Fe   +   ___ O2   →   ______________



      Formation of compound containing Fe3+ ions:   

      ___ Fe   +   ___ O2   →   ______________

      3c2 marks

      Sodium hydroxide was added to one solution containing Fe2+ ions and another solution containing Fe3+.

      What observations would be made?

      Observations with sodium hydroxide and solution containing Fe2+ ions:

      ________________________________________


      Observations with sodium hydroxide and solution containing Fe3+ ions:

      ________________________________________

      3d5 marks

      Iron can be used to displace copper from a solution of copper(II) sulfate.

      Iron(II) sulfate is also formed. The equation for this reaction is:

      Fe + CuSO4 → FeSO4 + Cu

      Identify which species has been oxidised and which has been reduced.

      You should include the ionic equation for the reaction and the two half equations in your answer.

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      4a1 mark

      Manganese can form compounds which are black, brown, pink, red, green, blue, and purple.

      Why does manganese form different coloured compounds?

      4b1 mark

      A compound of manganese, manganese dioxide, has the formula, MnO2.

      What is the charge on the manganese ion is manganese dioxide?

      4c3 marks

      Manganese dioxide acts as a catalyst in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.

      A student made the following statements about the role of manganese dioxide in this reaction:

      "Manganese dioxide increases the rate of reaction by providing an alternative reaction pathway which has a lower activation energy.

      The yield of oxygen produced increases as more oxygen can be produced in a given amount of time".

      Is the student correct?

      Explain your answer.

      4d2 marks

      The diagram shows the reaction profile for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide with a catalyst.

      Figure 1

      aqa-gcse-1-3h-tq4d-copy-of-reaction-profile

      On Figure 1:

      • Draw the reaction profile for the reaction without a catalyst
      • Draw and label an arrow to show the activation energy for the reaction with a catalyst

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