Transition+Metals+(Group+3)


 * Group 3 - Transition Metals**

Group 3 consists of 4 elements, these 4 elements are: - Scandium - Yttrium - Lanthanum - Actinium =Scandium(Andrew S.)= Scandium is located in group 3, period 4 and block d. Scandium is a chemical element with symbol Sc and an atomic number of 21. It is a silvery-white metallic transition metal. It has an atomic weight of 44.96. Scandium is only present in most of the deposits of rare earth and uranium compounds. This is extracted from the ores in only a few mines in the world therefore, making it a rare element. The melting point of scandium is 1541 degrees Celsius. Scandium is a soft metal and it develops a slightly yellowish/pinkish cast when oxidized by air. It is vulnerable to weathering and dissolves slowly in most dilute acids.

Scandium is used in numerous things: - Scandium is used to make high intensity light bulbs. -Scandium is used added to mercury vapor lamps so that they will emit light that closely resembles sunlight. -Scandium is also added to baseball bats and expensive, sturdy bikes .

**Yttrium (Chris N.)** Yttrium is one of the elements located in group 3, period 5 and has the chemical symbol of Y and an atomic number of 39. It is a silvery-white transition metal with an atomic weight of 88.9. Yttrium can be found and extracted from lanthanoid minerals. Its melting point is 1525 degrees Celsius and its boiling point is 3340 degrees Celsius. This metal can be classified as a rare earth element and the first to be discovered. The most common of yttrium compounds is yttrium oxide. This compound is use to make "a high temperature superconductor YBCO (yttrium barium copper oxide)" (//Chemicool.com//, 2011). Yttrium can also cause lung disease for humans.

Yttrium can be used: -In red phosphors that make the red color in television tubes. -In microwave filters -In laser systems -In increasing the strength of alloys such as chromium and aluminium -As a catalyst in ethylene polymerization (a process of bonding molecules together with a chemical reaction to make a 3D polymer chain)

**Lanthanum (Andrew S.)** Lanthanum is located in group 3, period 6 and block F. Lanthanum is a chemical element with the symbol La and it has an atomic number of 57. The standard atomic weight of lanthanum is 138.91. It is found in some rare earth minerals, usually in a combination with cerium and other rare earth elements like Scandium. Lanthanum is also a soft metal that oxidizes rapidly when exposed to air. The melting point of lanthanum is 3464 degrees Celsius. Lanthanum carbonate was approved as a medication against renal failure. It is a silvery-white metal which has hexagonal crystal structure at room temperature. The next 14 elements after lanthanum (atomic number 58-71) are known as lanthanides in the periodic table.

Some uses of the element Lanthanum are: -Small amounts as an additive are used to produce nodular cast iron. -Hydrogen sponge alloys containing lanthanum reversibly take up to 400 times their own volume of hydrogen gas. Heat is released. Therefore these alloys have potential in energy conservation systems. -It is also used in lighter flints and alloys.

Actinium is a radioactive chemical element that was discovered in 1899 by Andre Debierne. It is in group 3, period 7 with a symbol of Ac and an atomic number 89. Its atomic weight is 227. Actinium's boiling point is 3199 degrees Celsius and its melting point is 1050 degrees Celsius. It is described as silvery but also glowing with a blue light. Actinium cannot be found individually and is only found in uranium ores but as traces. It currently has little industrial use, due to its high rarity, price and radioactivity. In the periodic table, the next fourteen elements after actinium (atomic number 90-103) are classified as actinides.
 * Actinium (Chris N.) **[[image:2011cccc9asci/actinium.jpg width="235" height="177" align="right" caption="This sample of uraninite contains some actinium about 10(to the power of negative 9) grammes of actinium at any one time. Image adapted with permission from Prof James Marshall's (U. North Texas, USA) Walking Tour of the elements CD."]]

Actinium can be used for: -Thermoelectric power -Sources for neutrons

A majority of the Transition metals share a common trend. Transition metals always have high melting points due to their strong metallic bonds. The metallic radius decreases with the atomic number for the first 5 to 6 elements in a series. When the number of electrons increase, the number of protons in the nucleus increase as well. The numbers of protons contribute to the nuclear charge, which helps in shielding. Since some transition metals have unfilled electrons, they can also have magnetic properties such as paramagnetic or ferromagnetic. Paramagnetic is not a permanent magnet, but the magnet field is present. Ferromagnetic is a permanent magnet. Another trait that most of them actually have is the colour, which is silvery-white. A fair few of the transition metals share being are rare earth elements.
 * Trends in Transition metals **

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 * References: **
 * 1) Winter, M 2011, //Scandium, The Essentials//, The University of Sheffield, accessed 27 September 2011, []
 * 2) Winter, M 2011, //Yttrium, The Essentials//, The University of Sheffield, accessed 13 October 2011, < http://www.webelements.com/yttrium/>
 * 3) Winter, M 2011, //Lanthanum, The Essentials//, The University of Sheffield, accessed 11 October 2011, []
 * 4) Winter, M 2011, //Actinium, The Essentials//, The University of Sheffield, accessed 13 October 2011, 
 * 5) Main Author Unknown, //Periodic Trends//, Last edited by S. Martin, 5th June 2010, Date Accessed: 11 October 2011
 * 1) //Yttrium// 6 July 2011, Chemicool.com, accessed 13 October 2011, 
 * 2) //Actinium// 2011, Chemicool.com, accessed 13 October 2011, 
 * 3) Siems, R (ed.) 2006, //Science Dimensions 3//, Pearson Education, Australia