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IGCSE · Practice questions · Transition elements

Dense, coloured, catalytic.

Six original Cambridge-style questions on transition elements and how they differ from Group I metals.

Original questions All questions on this page are original work, written in the Cambridge IGCSE style. They are not from past papers. They test the same concepts and skills the syllabus rewards.
Keep these straight

Four typical properties.

01
Recall
[4 marks]

State four properties of transition elements that are not shown by Group I metals.

  • High density. ✓
  • High melting point. ✓
  • Form coloured compounds. ✓
  • Act as catalysts (Extended: variable oxidation numbers). ✓
02
Recall
[2 marks]

Name a transition element or compound used as a catalyst, and the process in which it is used.

  • Iron: the Haber process (or vanadium(V) oxide: the Contact process; nickel: hydrogenation of oils). ✓
  • One mark for the catalyst, one for the matching process. ✓
03
Analysis
[2 marks]

Element M melts at 1455 °C, has a density of 8.9 g/cm3 and forms a green sulfate. Suggest, with reasons, whether M is a transition element or a Group I element.

  • A transition element. ✓
  • It has a high melting point and a high density and forms a coloured compound, all typical of transition elements. ✓
04
Recall
[2 marks]

(Extended) Give the formulae of iron(II) oxide and iron(III) oxide, and state what they show about iron.

  • FeO and Fe2O3. ✓
  • Iron has variable oxidation numbers (+2 and +3). ✓
05
Explain
[2 marks]

Suggest why transition metals rather than Group I metals are used to build bridges and machinery.

  • Transition metals are hard, strong and dense with high melting points. ✓
  • Group I metals are soft and react rapidly with water and air. ✓
06
Recall
[2 marks]

State the colour of a solution containing (a) copper(II) ions and (b) iron(III) ions.

  • (a) blue ✓
  • (b) orange-brown (yellow-brown) ✓

Mark this once you have attempted all six and checked your working. It records a Practiced badge on the topic and adds a one-time bonus. Revealing the solutions alone does not count.