The transition metals are elements with partially filled d orbitals, located in the d -block of the periodic table. The reactivity of the transition elements varies widely from very active metals such as scandium and iron to almost inert elements, such as the platinum metals.

Transition metals exhibit chemical behavior typical of metals. The type of chemistry used in the isolation of the elements from their ores depends upon the concentration of the element in its ore and the difficulty of reducing ions of the elements to the metals.

transition metals — elements with partially filled d orbitals, located in the d -block of the periodic table. platinum metals — group of six transition metals consisting of ruthenium, osmium, rhodium, iridium, palladium, and platinum that tend to occur in the same minerals and demonstrate similar chemical…. cis configuration — configuration of a geometrical isomer in which two similar groups are on the same side of an imaginary reference line on the molecule. e g orbitals — set of two d orbitals that are oriented on the Cartesian axes for coordination complexes; in octahedral complexes, they are higher in energy than the t 2 g orbitals.