Lesson 3.2.5.1

3.2.5.1 General properties of transition metals Quiz: AQA Chemistry, Unit 2

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.2.5.1, General properties of transition metals: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Chemistry (7405), Unit 2: Inorganic chemistry, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which property is NOT a characteristic of transition metals?

    • Forming coloured compounds
    • Forming complex ions
    • Forming only +1 ions in all compounds
    • Variable oxidation states

  2. What feature of atoms or ions of Ti to Cu gives rise to their characteristic transition metal properties?

    • An incomplete d sub-level
    • A completely filled d sub-level
    • An incomplete p sub-level
    • A completely filled s sub-level

  3. Which of these is a transition metal in the Ti to Cu range?

    • Titanium
    • Aluminium
    • Calcium
    • Zinc

  4. What is a ligand?

    • A positive ion that accepts electrons from a metal
    • A metal atom or ion surrounded by ligands
    • A molecule or ion that donates a pair of electrons to a metal atom or ion to form a co-ordinate bond
    • A bond formed between two metal atoms

  5. What is a complex in transition metal chemistry?

    • A compound made only of metal atoms bonded together
    • A solid made of metal and non-metal ions in a lattice
    • A molecule with only covalent bonds to hydrogen
    • A central metal atom or ion surrounded by ligands

  6. What is the co-ordination number of the central copper ion in [Cu(NH3)4]2+?

    • 4
    • 8
    • 2
    • 6

  7. What is the co-ordination number of the central iron ion in [Fe(H2O)6]3+?

    • 6
    • 3
    • 9
    • 4

  8. What is the co-ordination number of the central cobalt ion in [Co(C2O4)3]3-, where C2O4^2- is a bidentate ligand?

    • 4
    • 9
    • 3
    • 6

  9. Which species is acting as a ligand in the complex [Cu(NH3)4]2+?

    • NH3 molecule
    • Cu2+ ion
    • Hydrogen ion
    • Nitrogen atom

  10. Which property is shown when Fe2+ ions are oxidised to Fe3+ ions?

    • Variable oxidation state
    • Ionic bonding only
    • Complex formation only
    • Radioactivity

  11. Why does Zn2+ not form coloured aqueous ions in the way that Cu2+ does?

    • Zn2+ has no ligands
    • Zn2+ has a larger co-ordination number than Cu2+
    • Zn2+ is not a metal ion
    • Zn2+ has a full 3d sub-level, so no d-d transition of visible light is possible

  12. Which property distinguishes transition metals from Group 2 metals such as calcium?

    • Forming positive ions
    • Conducting electricity
    • Forming coloured compounds
    • Reacting with water

  13. In [Cu(H2O)6]2+ what type of bond joins each water ligand to the copper ion?

    • Ionic bond
    • Hydrogen bond
    • Metallic bond
    • Co-ordinate (dative) bond

  14. What is the co-ordination number of [CuCl4]2-?

    • 2
    • 4
    • 6
    • 8

  15. The complex [Ni(H2NCH2CH2NH2)3]2+ contains three bidentate ligands. What is its co-ordination number?

    • 3
    • 9
    • 6
    • 4

  16. Why do transition metals often act as catalysts?

    • They can change oxidation state and provide alternative reaction routes with lower activation energy
    • They always produce heat when they react
    • They are always gases at room temperature
    • They dissolve in all solvents to form ions

  17. A transition metal ion forms a co-ordinate bond with a ligand. Which description of the bonding is correct?

    • The ligand donates both electrons of a lone pair to the metal
    • The metal donates both electrons of its outer shell to the ligand
    • The ligand is positively charged and loses its electrons
    • Electrons are shared equally between metal and ligand

  18. Which statement about the co-ordination number of a complex is correct?

    • It is always equal to the oxidation state of the metal
    • It is the number of co-ordinate bonds formed to the central metal atom or ion
    • It is the number of metal atoms in the complex
    • It is the total number of electrons in the complex

  19. Explain why transition metal ions are described as forming complexes with many different ligands.

    • The metal ion has no empty orbitals available
    • The ligands must be metal ions to form bonds
    • The metal ion has a full outer shell that repels all ligands
    • The metal ion has vacant d orbitals that can accept electron pairs from ligands with lone pairs

  20. What is the co-ordination number of the silver ion in [Ag(NH3)2]+?

    • 2
    • 1
    • 6
    • 4

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