Transition metals and many of their compounds show paramagnetic behaviour due to the presence of unpaired electrons in their d-orbitals. When an electron in an orbital is unpaired, the magnetic moment associated with its spin makes the substance attracted to an external magnetic field. The paramagnetic behaviour increases with the number of unpaired electrons.

The enthalpies of atomisation of transition metals are high because they have strong metallic bonds. This is due to the involvement of a large number of electrons from both the ns and (n-1)d orbitals in bonding. The greater the number of valence electrons participating in metallic bonding, the stronger the bond and higher the enthalpy of atomisation.

Transition metals generally form coloured compounds due to d-d transitions. In the presence of ligands, the d-orbitals split into two sets with different energy levels. When visible light falls on these compounds, electrons absorb certain wavelengths to get excited from lower to higher energy d-orbitals. The remaining transmitted or reflected light gives the compound its characteristic colour.

Transition metals and their compounds act as good catalysts because they can exhibit variable oxidation states and provide a large surface area for reactants to adsorb. They form intermediate complexes with reactants, which lowers the activation energy and provides an alternative pathway for the reaction to proceed at a faster rate.