Metals:
* Location: Metals occupy the vast majority of the periodic table. They are found on the left side, in the middle, and in the bottom rows.
* Characteristics: Metals generally share these properties:
* Good conductors of heat and electricity
* Malleable (can be hammered into shapes)
* Ductile (can be drawn into wires)
* Shiny (lustrous)
* Solid at room temperature (except for mercury)
Nonmetals:
* Location: Nonmetals are located on the right side of the periodic table.
* Characteristics: Nonmetals have properties opposite to metals:
* Poor conductors of heat and electricity
* Not malleable or ductile
* Often dull or brittle
* Can be solids, liquids, or gases at room temperature
Special Considerations:
* Metalloids: A small group of elements along the "staircase" line that separates metals and nonmetals are called metalloids or semimetals. They have properties of both metals and nonmetals, making them useful in electronics.
Example:
Look at a periodic table. You'll see a clear distinction between the metals on the left and the nonmetals on the right. The metalloids form a line between them.
