Properties of transition elements include:

What are the Metallic Qualities of the Transition Metals?

The transition metals exhibit typical metallic properties such as malleability, ductility, high tensile
strength, and metallic lustre. They are generally good conductors of heat and electricity and tend to
crystallize in BCC (body-centred cubic), CCP (cubic close-packed), or HCP (hexagonally close-
packed) structures.
However, trends can be observed in the metallic properties of the transition elements. For example,
elements such as chromium and molybdenum are some of the hardest transition metals because
they contain a large number of unpaired electrons.

 are hard and have high densities;

- because of strong metallic bonds
 have high melting and boiling points;
- because of strong metallic bonds

 form compounds which are often paramagnetic;

 show variable oxidation states;
 form coloured ions and compounds;
 form compounds with profound catalytic activity;
 Transition metals are good metal catalysts because they easily
lend and take electrons from other molecules. A catalyst is a
chemical substance that, when added to a chemical reaction, does
not affect the thermodynamics of a reaction but increases the rate
of reaction.
 form stable complexes.