OCR gateway C3 (yr2006 +) ((C4 on new OCR exam))

Physical properties:

• ductile
• malleable
• good conductors of heat
• high melting and boiling points because of strong metalic bonds

Chemical properties:

• resistance to attack by air or acids

Copper - used in saucepans because...

• has a high thermal conductivity 
• has resistance

Aluminium

• has a low density - used in aircraft
  

Superconductors are materials that conduct electricity with little or no resistance

Meissner effect - when a substance goes from its normal state to a superconducting state, it no longer has a magnetic field

Benefits of a superconductor:

• loss-free power transmission
• super-fast electronic circuits
• powerful electromagnets

Metals conduct electricity because delocalised electrons within its structure can move easily

Superconductors only work at very low temperatures = 20 degrees C

copper compunds are blue

iron (II) compounds are pale green

iron (III) compounds are orange/brown

Transition metals and its compounds are often catalysts

• iron is used in the Harber process to make ammonia, which is used in fertilisers
• nickel is used to harden the oils in the manufacture of margarine

sodium hydroxide solution is used to identify the presence of transition metal ions

• Cu 2+ ions form a blue solid
• Fe 2+ ions form a grey/green solid
• Fe 3+ ions form an orange gelatinous solid

These solids are metal hydroxide precipitates

Thermal Decompositions

if a transition metal is heated, it decomposes to form a metal oxide and carbon dioxide