First Transition Series: Elements, Compounds, and Applications

Vocabulary flashcards detailing the chemical properties, key alloys, oxidation states, and industrial applications of the first transition series elements ($$\text{Sc}$$ through $$\text{Zn}$$) and their compounds.

First Transition Series Earth Crust Abundance

The elements of the first transition series collectively account for less than $7\%$ of the total weight of the Earth's crust.

Scandium Silicate

A rare mineral containing scandium, an element found in very small amounts spread across large areas of the Earth's crust.

Scandium-Aluminum Alloy

A lightweight, high-hardness alloy composed of aluminum and a small portion of scandium, used in MiG fighter jets, sports bicycles, and baseball bats.

Mercury Vapour Lamps (Scandium)

High-efficiency lamps containing added scandium that produce high-quality light resembling daylight, used in television photography at night.

Titanium ($\text{Ti}$) Mechanical Properties

A metal possessing the rigidity and strength of steel with lower density, which maintains its durability at elevated temperatures where metals like aluminum lose strength.

Titanium-Aluminum Alloy

An alloy used in the construction of aircraft and space shuttles due to its ability to maintain structural durability and resist high temperatures better than pure aluminum.

Titanium Dioxide ($\text{TiO}_2$)

A titanium compound containing titanium in the $+4$ oxidation state, widely used in sun protection cosmetics because its nanoparticles block ultraviolet radiation.

Ferrovanadium Alloy

An extremely hard, corrosion-resistant alloy made by adding a small amount of vanadium to steel, used in the manufacture of car springs.

Vanadium Pentoxide ($\text{V}_2\text{O}_5$)

A vanadium compound used as a colored dye in ceramics and glass, a catalyst in preparing strong magnetic conductors, and a catalyst in the Contact method for sulfuric acid ($\text{H}_2\text{SO}_4$) production.

Surface Passivity of Chromium

The resistance of chemically active chromium to atmospheric corrosion and rust due to the formation of a continuous, non-porous protective surface oxide layer.

Chromium(III) Oxide ($\text{Cr}_2\text{O}_3$)

A stable oxide of chromium used primarily in the manufacturing of colored dyes.

Potassium Dichromate ($\text{K}_2\text{Cr}_2\text{O}_7$)

An oxidizing agent whose color shifts from orange to green upon the oxidation of ethyl alcohol, utilized in driver breathalyzer tests.

Ferromanganese Alloy

An alloy composed of manganese and iron ($\text{Mn} + \text{Fe}$) that is harder than steel, utilized in the construction of railway tracks.

Manganese-Aluminum Alloy

A corrosion-resistant alloy combining aluminum and manganese, utilized in manufacturing soft drink cans and beverage vessels.

Haber-Bosch Method (Iron Catalyst)

An industrial synthesis of ammonia ($\text{N}_2 + 3\text{H}_2 \rightarrow 2\text{NH}_3$) that uses finely divided iron as a catalyst.

Fischer-Tropsch Method (Iron Catalyst)

A chemical method utilizing iron as a catalyst to convert water gas (a gaseous mixture of $\text{CO}$ and $\text{H}_2$) into synthetic liquid fuel or petrol.

Cobalt-60 ($^{60}\text{Co}$)

A radioactive isotope of cobalt that emits high-penetration gamma rays, used in food preservation, industrial weld crack detection, and tumor diagnosis and treatment.

Nickel-Cadmium Battery

A commercial rechargeable battery manufactured using an alloy of nickel and cadmium.

Nickel-Steel Alloy (Acid Storage)

A hard, rust-resistant alloy formed from nickel and steel used to construct vessels that safely store strong acids, such as hydrofluoric acid ($\text{HF}$).

Nichrome (Nickel-Chromium Alloy)

An alloy of nickel and chromium used in heating coils and electric furnaces because it resists corrosion and oxidation at very high temperatures.

Finely Divided Nickel

Divided metallic nickel used as an industrial catalyst in the catalytic hydrogenation of vegetable oils into solid fats or butter.

Manganese Dioxide ($\text{MnO}_2$)

A compound with manganese in the $+4$ oxidation state that acts as a strong oxidizing agent in dry cell batteries and as a catalyst in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide ($2\text{H}_2\text{O}_2 \rightarrow 2\text{H}_2\text{O} + \text{O}_2$).

Potassium Permanganate ($\text{KMnO}_4$)

A violet compound with manganese in the $+7$ oxidation state that functions as an oxidizing agent, antiseptic, disinfectant for water purification, and antiparasitic agent in fish tanks.

Manganese(II) Sulphate ($\text{MnSO}_4$)

A compound with manganese in the $+2$ oxidation state used as a fungicide, added to soil to protect crops like citrus and used to treat fungal tinea infections in humans.

Bronze

A metallic alloy composed of copper ($\text{Cu}$) and tin ($\text{Sn}$), historically used in medals and sculptures.

Brass

A yellow alloy composed of copper ($\text{Cu}$) and zinc ($\text{Zn}$).

Copper(II) Sulphate ($\text{CuSO}_4$)

A chemical compound used as an effective fungicide, insecticide, and chemical agent in water purification.

Fehling's Solution

A copper-containing diagnostic reagent that detects glucose (such as in urine) by changing color from blue to orange upon reduction.

Galvanization

The metallurgical process of coating steel or other metal surfaces with a protective layer of zinc to prevent oxidation and rusting.

Zinc Oxide ($\text{ZnO}$)

A compound of zinc ($+2$ oxidation state) used commercially in the manufacture of paints, rubber, and cosmetics.

Zinc Sulphide ($\text{ZnS}$)

A luminescent zinc compound ($+2$ oxidation state) used in the manufacture of X-ray screens and illuminating paints.