How to teach post-16 transition metals and complex ions

D-orbitals, electrons and energy gaps are topic areas that can seem hugely abstract to students. To understand transition metal ions and their complexes, students must be secure in their grasp of detailed electronic arrangements and d-subshells. This article addresses common student misconceptions and provides teaching strategies to help students grasp transition metal complexes. Download the transition elements and complex compounds microscale experiment to model sustainable practices in the laboratory with your A-level and equivalent learners. They will investigate the chemistry of the transition metals and use experimental evidence to identify reactions involving complex formation and changes in oxidation state.