Metals and Nonmetals
The metals and nonmetals are characterized by distinctly different physical and
chemical properties. A characteristic difference involves their behavior during
oxidation-reduction reactions. In these reactions metals always lose
electrons, while nonmetals always gain electrons. One can quickly distinguish
between metals and nonmetals based on their placement on the Periodic Table of
the Elements. The metals are those elements (with the exception of hydrogen) that
are found to the left of a group of elements referred to as the metalloids . The
metalloids are a group of elements which have properties similar to both the
metals and nonmetals. These metalloids are: Boron, Silicon, Germanium, Arsenic, Antimony, Tellurium and Astatine. The nonmetals are those elements found to the
right of these metalloids, including the element, hydrogen.
