Question

What distinguishes a transition metal from a representative metal?

Answer 1

Answer:

The elements in group 1 and 2 are the representative elements. Groups 3 through 12 are the transition elements.

Transition elements are all metals and are found less noticably than they do across a period of representative elements. representative elements are always found in nature combined with other elements, they are all metals except for hydrogen.

Answer 2

Explanation:

The representative elements are elements where the s and p orbitals are filling. The transition elements are elements where the d orbitals (groups 3–11 on the periodic table) are filling, and the inner transition metals are the elements where the f orbitals are filling.