Metals Nonmetals and Metalloids

Periodic table consists of an array of elements, with different metallic properties. Some are completely metallic, making them soft or hard metals. Other major type includes the non-metals, which have completely different physical and chemical properties from metals and are easily distinguishable.

Some elements have properties in-between that of a metal and a non-metal. These types of elements are termed as ‘metalloids’.

Characteristics of Metals Nonmetals Metalloids-

Common characteristics through which a metal, non-metal and a metalloid can be differentiated are:

Metals:

An element is called as metal, when, in the process of forming an ionic bond, it donates electrons, to form a positive ion. Thus, the main characteristics of a metal is that, it should have very less first ionization energy, or energy due to removal of outermost electron.

Some common properties of metal are:

1. Metals are mostly solids, hard or soft. Metals of first two groups of the periodic table are soft solids, while transition metals are hard. Mercury is the only metal, which is a liquid.
2. They are malleable and ductile.
3. They transfer heat and electricity due to the presence of ions in their structure. There is a special type of bond called as metallic bond, which gives metals all these distinctive properties.

Non-metals:

An element is said to be a non-metal, when it shows electronegative property than electropositive property. They accept electrons to form an ionic bond. Their first ionization energy is very high.

1. Non-metals are mostly liquids, gases or in some case, amorphous solids.
2. If they are solids, they are brittle solids, and are not malleable and ductile.

Metalloids:

These are elements which have properties in-between that of metals and non-metals. Metalloids are called as semi-metals. They have lustre like metals, but do not conduct electricity.

Metalloids find use as semiconductors. Metalloids are placed with the non-metals in 14^th, 15^th and 16^th Group of the periodic table.

List of Metals Nonmetals and Metalloids

Some of the metals, metalloids and non-metals are listed below:

Metals	Metalloids	Non-metals
Copper- Cu	Silicon -Si	Oxygen-O
Iron- Fe	Germanium - Ge	Chlorine –Cl
Mercury Hg	Antimony -Sb	Nitrogen – N
Cadmium Cd	Arsenic - Sb	Carbon – C
Sodium Na	Tellurium -Te	Sulfur – S
Calcium Ca		Phosphorus -P
Chromium Cr		Bromine -Br

Is Gold a Metal Nonmetal or Metalloid–

Gold, Au, is one of the transition elements. It has an atomic number of 79 and is placed in group 11 of the table. It is a transition metal.

Is Sodium a Metal Nonmetal or Metalloid–

Sodium is placed in the first group of the periodic table. It is a soft metal. Sodium is one of the alkali metals.

Is Calcium a Metal Nonmetal or Metalloid-

Calcium, a white amorphous solid, is a metal, because of its electron donating property. Calcium is an alkaline earth metal.