The metallic property
Shared looks, different activity
1. General properties: mass, radius and metallic property
2. Pipes and gates
Copper water pipes can last for decades. An iron gate left unpainted goes rusty.
Pick the right answer
Predict: do the transition metals all have the same chemical activity?
- A. Yes: all are unreactive, like copper
- B. Yes: all react strongly, even with water
- C. No: their activity varies
Explanation
Their chemical activity varies. The book's examples: copper has limited chemical activity, iron is moderate (it goes rusty in air), and scandium is highly active (it replaces the hydrogen of water strongly).
3. What they all share
Book point 3a: the metallic property appears clearly in these elements.
Solid
All of them are solid.
Luster
All have metallic luster.
Conductors
All are good conductors of heat and electricity.
Metallic luster
The shine of a clean metal surface.
| Property | The transition metals |
|---|---|
| State | solid |
| Luster | metallic luster |
| Heat and electricity | good conductors |
4. Activity varies
Book point 3d: there is variation in their activity. Copper is limited, iron moderate, scandium highly active.
5. Three metals, three behaviours
Test each metal. Slide to choose one.
metal (1 = Sc, 2 = Fe, 3 = Cu) 1
6. Shared or varies?
Sort into groups
Sort each property of the first transition series.
SolidGood conductor of electricityReplaces the hydrogen of waterMetallic lusterGoes rusty when exposed to airGood conductor of heat
7. Rank and reason
Put in order
Rank the book's three examples by chemical activity, most active first.
- Scandium
- Iron
- Copper
Pick the right answer
A student says: "Copper hardly reacts, so all transition metals are unreactive." Which book fact shows the mistake?
- A. Scandium replaces the hydrogen of water strongly
- B. All of them are good conductors of electricity
- C. Copper has metallic luster
Explanation
Scandium replaces the hydrogen of water strongly, so at least one transition metal is highly active and the claim fails. Conductivity and luster are physical properties; they say nothing about chemical activity.
8. Summary
- All of them are solids with metallic luster and good conductivity of heat and electricity.
- Their chemical activity varies: copper limited, iron moderate (goes rusty in air), scandium highly active.
- Next in point 3: high melting points and high density, and why.
Back to the hook: can you explain why copper pipes last while an iron gate rusts?
Reveal
Their chemical activity varies: copper has limited activity, so the pipes last; iron is moderate, so it goes rusty when exposed to air.
| Metal | Chemical activity | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | limited | no change in water |
| Iron | moderate | goes rusty in moist air |
| Scandium | highly active | replaces the hydrogen of water strongly |