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DfES Standards Unit, Success for All
Materials for learners
TRANSITION METALS CARD ACTIVITY
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
This activity consists of three tasks.
Task 1
Work with a partner and try to do this task without your notes.

Collect the blank grids and set of cards.

Match the complex on the cards with its shape and colour.

When you have completed the matching, remove the cards one at a time
and write your results on the grid. Keep these in your notes to help your
revision.
NB One is not a transition metal complex. Circle it on your grid.
Task 2

Collect a copy of the worksheet.

Use the complexes on the cards to complete it.

Use each complex only once so you can work out some of the answers by
a process of elimination.
Task 3

You will need the cards containing the complexes of chromium, cobalt and
copper, together with some extra cards to complete this task.

Use the cards to construct summary charts for some important reactions of
[Cr(H2O)6]3+, [Co(H2O)6]2+, [Cu(H2O)6]2+.
Note: You may not need all of the cards.
Transition metals card activity
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DfES Standards Unit, Success for All
Materials for learners
CARDS FOR TASK 1
Blank grids (1)
Metal complex
Transition metals card activity
Colour
Shape
2
DfES Standards Unit, Success for All
Materials for learners
CARDS FOR TASK 1
Blank grids (2)
Metal complex
Transition metals card activity
Colour
Shape
3
DfES Standards Unit, Success for All
Materials for learners
CARDS FOR TASK 1
Blank grids (3)
Metal complex
Transition metals card activity
Colour
Shape
4
DfES Standards Unit, Success for All
Materials for learners
CARDS FOR TASK 1
METAL COMPLEXES
[Co(NH3)6]2+
CrO42
[Cr(H2O)6]2+
[Fe(H2O)6]2+
Co(OH)2(H2O)4
[Cr(OH)6]63-
[Co(NH3)6]3+
[Cr(H2O)6]3+
MnO4
[Cu(H2O)2(NH3)4]2+
[Al(H2O)2(OH)4]-
[Fe(H2O)6]3+
[Ag(NH3)2]+
CoCl42
CuCl42
Transition metals card activity
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DfES Standards Unit, Success for All
Materials for learners
CARDS FOR TASK 1
COLOURS
yellow
yellow
sky blue
green
green-blue
green
yellow-brown
green
purple
blue
colourless
lilac
colourless
blue
yellow-green
Transition metals card activity
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DfES Standards Unit, Success for All
Materials for learners
CARDS FOR TASK 1
SHAPES
octahedral
tetrahedral
octahedral
octahedral
octahedral
octahedral
octahedral
octahedral
tetrahedral
octahedral
octahedral
octahedral
linear
tetrahedral
tetrahedral
Transition metals card activity
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DfES Standards Unit, Success for All
Materials for learners
Worksheet for task 2
From your grids, identify the complexes that fit the following descriptions. Use each
complex once only.
1. This complex ion is present in Tollen’s reagent, used to differentiate between
aldehydes and ketones.
2. Two of these ions are formed when excess dilute sodium hydroxide solution is
added to their corresponding hydroxides.
3. Two of these ions undergo hydrolysis to produce acidic solutions.
4. This aqua ion is stabilised by the presence of acid but rapidly turns brown in
alkali.
5. An aqueous solution containing the metal ion X is treated with aqueous ammonia
added dropwise to excess. Initially the precipitate A forms but this dissolves in
excess forming a complex B which rapidly darkens in colour when exposed to air.
The final solution contains complex C. Identify A, B and C.
6. A solution containing this ion can be used to quantitatively estimate the
percentage of iron(II) in lawnsand.
7. D is unstable in acid solution and dimerises to form an orange solution. Identify D.
8. An example of a complex formed by incomplete ligand substitution.
9. This unstable ion only exists in contact with zinc or in the absence of air.
10. Impregnated onto filter paper this ion is used to test for the presence of water. If
water is present, it turns pink.
11. The formation of this complex from the aqua ion involves a change in coordination number. The metal ion present has a 3d9 configuration.
Transition metals card activity
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DfES Standards Unit, Success for All
Materials for learners
FURTHER CARDS FOR TASK 3
COMPLEXES
[Cr(NH3)6]3+
Cr2O72
[Co(H2O)6]2+
[Cu(H2O)6]2+
Cu(OH)2(H2O)4
Cr(OH)3(H2O)3
Transition metals card activity
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DfES Standards Unit, Success for All
Materials for learners
FURTHER CARDS FOR TASK 3
REAGENTS
excess concentrated
NH3(aq)
dilute NaOH (aq)
H2O2
dilute H2SO4
concentrated
NH3(aq)
excess concentrated
NH3(aq)
air
concentrated HCl
excess concentrated
NH3(aq)
dilute NaOH (aq)
H2O2
dilute H2SO4
concentrated
NH3(aq)
excess concentrated
NH3(aq)
air
concentrated HCl
concentrated
NH3(aq)
concentrated
NH3(aq)
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