Difference Between Transition Metals and Inner Transition Metals

Transition Metals vs Inner Transition Metals

Theelementsof the periodic table are arranged according to an ascending pattern depending on how theelectronsare filled into atomic energy levels and their subshells. The characteristics of these elements show a direct correlation with the electron configuration. Therefore, regions of elements with similar properties can be identified and blocked for the sake of convenience. The first two columns in the periodic table contain elements where the final electron is being filled into a ‘s’ subshell, hence termed as ‘s-block’. The last six columns of an extended periodic table contain elements where the final electron is being filled into a ‘p’ subshell, hence termed ‘p-block’. Similarly columns from 3-12 contain elements where the last electron is being filled into a ‘d’ subshell, thus called the ‘d-block’. Finally, the extra element set that is often written as two separate rows at the bottom of the periodic table or sometimes written in between columns 2 and 3 as an extension is called the ‘f-block’ as their final electron is being filled into a ‘f’ subshell. The ‘d-block’ elements are also referred to as ‘Transition Metals’ and the ‘f-block’ elements are also called ‘Inner Transition Metals’.

Transition Metals

These elements come to picture beginning from the 4th row and the term ‘transition’ was used because it extended the inner electronic shells making the stable ‘8 electron’ configuration to an ’18 electron’ configuration. As mentioned above, the elements in the d-block belong to this category which span from groups 3-12 in the periodic table and all the elements are metals, hence the name'过渡金属'。The elements in the 4^throw, groups 3-12, are collectively called first transition series, the 5^th排为第二个过渡系列，依此类推。第一个过渡系列中的元素包括：SC，Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn. Usually, transition metals are said to have unfilled d sub-shells hence elements such as Zn, Cd, and Hg, which are in the 12^thcolumn, tend to be excluded from the transition series.

Apart from consisting of all metals, the d-block elements possess several other characteristic properties that give it their identity. Most of the transition series metals compounds are coloured. This is due to the d-d electronic transitions; i.e. KMnO₄(purple), [Fe(CN)₆]^4-(blood red),CuSO₄(blue), K₂CrO₄（黄色）等。另一个属性是许多展览氧化态。与S块和P块元素不同，大多数D块元素具有不同的氧化态。即Mn（0至+7）。这种质量使过渡金属起作用催化剂in reactions. Furthermore, they show magnetic properties and essentially acts as paramagnets when having unpaired electrons.

Inner Transition Metals

As stated in the introduction, the elements of the f-block fall under this category. These elements are also called‘稀土金属。This series is included after the 2^ndcolumn as the bottom two rows connecting to the d-block in an extended periodic table or as two separate rows at the bottom of the periodic table. The 1^strow is called ‘灯笼’, and the 2^ndrow is called ‘Actinides’。Both lanthanides and actinides have similar chemistries, and their properties differ from all other elements due to the nature of the f orbitals. (Read theDifference Between Actinides and Lanthanides。) Electrons in these orbitals are buried inside the atom and are shielded by outer electrons and, as a result, the chemistry of these compounds is largely dependent on the size. Ex: La/Ce/Tb (lanthanides), Ac/U/Am (actinides).

过渡金属和内部过渡金属有什么区别？

• Transition metals consist of d-block elements whereas inner transition metals consist of f-block elements.

• Inner transition metals have low availability than transition metals and hence called ‘rare earth metals’.

• Transition metal chemistry is mainly due to varyingoxidation numbers，而内部过渡金属化学主要取决于原子大小。

• Transition metals are generally used in氧化还原反应, but the usage of inner transitional metals for this purpose is rare.

Also, read the过渡金属和金属之间的差异