What is the Difference Between Metals and Metalloids?

Metals and metalloids are two categories of elements found in the periodic table. They exhibit different properties and characteristics. Here are the main differences between metals and metalloids:

1. Conductivity: Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity, while metalloids are conductors of electricity and heat but are not as conductive as metals.
2. Hardness: Metals are generally hard, malleable, and ductile, while metalloids tend to be brittle and break or shatter like nonmetals.
3. Luster: Metals have a shiny appearance, while some metalloids are reflective and shiny like metals.
4. Density: Metals are usually dense, while most metalloids are less dense than metals but denser than nonmetals.
5. Physical forms: Most metals are solids at room temperature, while many elemental nonmetals are gases at room temperature.
6. Melting and boiling points: Metalloids have intermediate melting and boiling points and require more heat than nonmetals but less than metals.

Some common examples of metalloids include boron, silicon, germanium, arsenic, antimony, tellurium, and polonium. These elements are often used to create alloys and chemical compounds due to their unique properties.

Comparative Table: Metals vs Metalloids

Here is a table comparing the differences between metals and metalloids:

Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity, have a shiny metallic luster, and are malleable and ductile. Metalloids, on the other hand, have intermediate properties between metals and nonmetals. They have both metallic and nonmetallic appearance, and their conductivity, malleability, and ductility are between those of metals and nonmetals.