Transition element

(Under construction)

A transition element is a chemical element element whose atomic electron configuration has an incomplete d sub-shell, that is part of the electron configuration is (nd)^k, with 1 ≤ k ≤ 9 and n the principal quantum number. Also ionized atoms with an incomplete d sub-shell are transition elements.

A strict application of this definition would describe lutetium (Lu) as a transition element because it has a singly occupied 5d orbital in its ground state, but it is a lanthanide according to IUPAC.^[1]

Below the naturally occurring transition elements are shown in two tables. The elements in Period 7 are man-made [except for Actinium (Z = 87)] and not shown.

↑ IUPAC Provisional Recommendations for the Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry (online draft of an updated version of the "Red Book" IR 3-6), 2004. Retrieved on 17/9/2009.

**Rows and columns of the Periodic Table of Elements containing transition elements (the d-block)**
The atomic number Z is between brackets
Group	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Period 4	Sc (21)	Ti (22)	V (23)	Cr (24)	Mn (25)	Fe (26)	Co (27)	Ni (28)
Period 5	Y (39)	Zr (40)	Nb (41)	Mo (42)	Tc (43)	Ru (44)	Rh (45)	Pd (46)
Period 6	La (57)	Hf (72)	Ta (73)	W (74)	Re (75)	Os (76)	Ir (77)	Pt (78)

**Atomic Electron Configurations of Transition Elements**
First orbital in shell (ns-orbital) is shaded
Z	Symbol	Element	1s	2s	2p	3s	3p	3d	4s	4p	4d	4f	5s	5p	5d	6s
21	Sc	Scandium	2	2	6	2	6	1	2
22	Ti	Titanium	2	2	6	2	6	2	2
23	V	Vanadium	2	2	6	2	6	3	2
24	Cr	Chromium	2	2	6	2	6	5	1
25	Mn	Manganese	2	2	6	2	6	5	2
26	Fe	Iron	2	2	6	2	6	6	2
27	Co	Cobalt	2	2	6	2	6	7	2
28	Ni	Nickel	2	2	6	2	6	8	2
39	Y	Yttrium	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	1		2
40	Zr	Zirconium	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	2		2
41	Nb	Niobium	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	4		1
42	Mo	Molybdenum	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	5		1
43	Tc	Technetium	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	6		1
44	Ru	Ruthenium	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	7		1
45	Rh	Rhodium	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	8		1
46	Pd	Palladium	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	10
57	La	Lanthanum	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	10		2	6	1	2
72	Hf	Hafnium	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	10	14	2	6	2	2
73	Ta	Tantalum	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	10	14	2	6	3	2
74	W	Tungsten	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	10	14	2	6	4	2
75	Re	Rhenium	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	10	14	2	6	5	2
76	Os	Osmium	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	10	14	2	6	6	2
77	Ir	Iridium	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	10	14	2	6	7	2
78	Pt	Platinum	2	2	6	2	6	10	2	6	10	14	2	6	9	1

[1] IUPAC Provisional Recommendations for the Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry (online draft of an updated version of the "Red Book" IR 3-6), 2004. Retrieved on 17/9/2009.

[1]

Transition element

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