AQA · GCSE · Chemistry
Course version: 8462 · Version from Sept 2018
Students should be able to exemplify these general properties by reference…
Full specification wording
Comparison with Group 1 elements: Students should be able to exemplify these general properties by reference to Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu.
Use specific transition elements to illustrate general properties.
Checked against the AQA 8462 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 3
- 3 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Use specific transition elements to illustrate general properties. Chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel and copper have high melting points, high densities, and useful strength. Iron is strong and used in construction; copper is an excellent conductor used in wiring; chromium is hard and used in plating. Their reactivity with oxygen, water and halogens is low compared with Group 1: iron rusts slowly, copper reacts with oxygen only on heating, and iron reacts with chlorine only when heated to form iron(III) chloride. Some form coloured compounds and act as catalysts, for example iron in the Haber process and nickel in hydrogenation. Using these named elements turns a general comparison into specific, creditworthy chemistry.
What earns the marks
- Chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel and copper are transition metals with high melting points and high densities.
- Iron is strong and dense and is used in construction, while copper is a good conductor used in electrical wiring.
- Chromium is hard and corrosion resistant and is used for plating, and nickel resists corrosion.
- Some of these elements form coloured compounds, such as copper compounds that are blue.
- Some of these elements act as catalysts, for example iron in the Haber process and nickel in hydrogenation.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Naming a Group 1 element such as sodium when asked for a transition element.
Put it right by choosing from Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni or Cu.
Giving a property without linking it to the named element.
Put it right by stating both the element and the property, for example copper is dense and conducts electricity well.
Claiming these metals react vigorously with water or halogens.
Put it right by stating that they react slowly or require heating.
Exam tips
- Learn one or two key facts for each of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu so you can exemplify any property requested.
- When a question says exemplify, always name the element and state the property it illustrates.
Try the lesson
The start of the Comparison with Group 1 elements: Students should be able to exemplify these general properties by reference to Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Copper (Cu) is a transition element. Which of the following describes a typical property of copper that exemplifies it as a transition metal rather than a Group 1 metal?
Listen
Use specific transition elements to illustrate general properties. Chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel and copper have high melting points, high densities, and useful strength. Iron is strong and used in construction; copper is an excellent conductor used in wiring; chromium is hard and used in plating. Their reactivity with oxygen, water and halogens is low compared with Group 1: iron rusts slowly, copper reacts with oxygen only on heating, and iron reacts with chlorine only when heated to form iron(III) chloride. Some form coloured compounds and act as catalysts, for example iron in the Haber process and nickel in hydrogenation. Using these named elements turns a general comparison into specific, creditworthy chemistry. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel and copper are transition metals with high melting points and high densities. Iron is strong and dense and is used in construction, while copper is a good conductor used in electrical wiring. Chromium is hard and corrosion resistant and is used for plating, and nickel resists corrosion. Some of these elements form coloured compounds, such as copper compounds that are blue. A common slip: Naming a Group 1 element such as sodium when asked for a transition element. Instead, choosing from Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni or Cu. Exam tip: Learn one or two key facts for each of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu so you can exemplify any property requested.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Transition metals
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Structure-property-use relationships
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Reactivity of transition metals
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See every definition
- Transition metals
- Chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel and copper are examples, having high melting points and high densities.
- Structure-property-use relationships
- Iron is strong and dense and used in construction, while copper is a good conductor used in electrical wiring.
- Reactivity of transition metals
- These metals react slowly with oxygen and water compared with Group 1 metals, for example iron rusts slowly.
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