I know you must be very psyched to be reading this again! :) Anyway, this term's subject is still Chemistry, and the topic is Atoms. So now you must wondering what has the Periodic Table got to do with Atoms? Well, atoms have chemical symbols in them, and the Periodic table shows the Chemical symbols (Elements) and the number of protons, electron, and neutrons, which is needed to find out about the atoms. (refer to the previous previous post to read it again!)
Does it answer your question?
But, that is not the main topic for this post! The main topic is called Transition Metals.
#1
Transition Metals are located in groups IB to VIIIB.
As the possess the properties of metals, the transition elements are also known as the Transition metals.
What makes them so special is that they are able to put more than eight electrons in the shell that is one in from the outermost shell. In other words, this is the point in the periodic table where you can place more than 8 electrons in a shell.
Another point is that these metals are really very hard, with super high melting points, and boiling points.
The transition metals are able to put up to 32 electrons in their second to last shell.
Something like gold (Au) has an organization of 2-8-18-32-18-1.
Of course, there are still some rules. No shell can have more than 32 electrons. It's usually 18 or 32 for the maximum number of electrons.
Transition metals can use the two outermost shells/orbitals to bond with other elements.
It's a chemical trait that allows them to bond with many elements in a variety of shapes.
Example: Molybdenum (Mo) with 42 electrons. The configuration is 2-8-18-13-1.
It is therefore unstable. Those two orbitals (13 and 1) can use the electrons to bond with other atoms.
So what are it's uses?
Alloys
Transition metals are commonly used to create alloys, which are combinations of metals and/or non-metallic substances.
Many well-known substances are alloys made of transition metals.
Iron is combined with carbon and a variety of other substances to make steel, and the inclusion of chromium makes it stainless steel.
Copper makes up several well-known alloys: it is mixed with zinc to create brass, combined with tin to form bronze and mixed with nickel to form cupro-nickel, which is often made into coins.
Catalysts
Some transition metals and compounds of transition metals are used as catalysts in chemical reactions to speed up the rate of reaction without adding any reactive properties themselves.
For example, vegetable oils are turned into saturated fats that take longer to melt by way of hydrogenation.
Nickel is used as the catalyst so that hydrogen can effectively join a carbon-carbon double bond.
