Definitions for "Transition metals"
the three rows of elements in the middle of the periodic table, from scandium to mercury.
There are 7 transition metals listed in the periodic table. As with all metals, the transition elements are both ductile and malleable, and conduct electricity and heat. The interesting thing about transition metals is that their valence electrons, or the electrons they use to combine with other elements, are present in more than one shell. This is the reason why they often exhibit several common oxidation states. There are three noteworthy elements in the transition metals family. These elements are iron, cobalt, and nickel, and they are the only elements known to produce a magnetic field.
any of the metals that serve as transitional links between the most and the least electropositive in a series of elements; elements in which an inner electron shell rather than an outer shell is only partially filled.