Elements for Kids

Metalloids

The metalloids are a group of elements in the periodic table. They are located to the right of the post-transition metals and to the left of the non-metals. Metalloids have some properties in common with metals and some in common with non-metals.

What elements are metalloids?

The elements that are generally considered metalloids include boron, silicon, germanium, arsenic, antimony, and tellurium. Other elements such as selenium and polonium are sometimes included as well.

What are the similar properties of metalloids?

Metalloids share many similar properties including:

They appear to be metal in appearance, but are brittle.
They can generally form alloys with metals.
Some metalloids such as silicon and germanium become electrical conductors under special conditions. These are called semiconductors.
They are solids under standard conditions.
They are mostly nonmetallic in their chemical behavior.

Order of Abundance

The most abundant of the metalloids on Earth is silicon which is the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust after oxygen. The least abundant is tellurium which is one of the rarest stable elements on Earth with an abundance similar to platinum. Here is a list of metalloids in order of abundance in the Earth's crust:

Silicon
Boron
Germanium
Arsenic
Antimony
Tellurium

Interesting Facts about Metalloids

Unlike other families of elements such as the noble gases, alkali metals, and halogens, the metalloids form a diagonal line on the periodic table rather than a vertical line.
Silicon is one of the most important materials used to make electronics such as computers and mobile phones.
Arsenic is known to be one of the most poisonous of the elements.
Antimony and tellurium are primarily used in metal alloys.
Tellurium gets its name from the Latin word "tellus" which means "earth."
Antimony has been known about since ancient times and was used as a cosmetic by the Ancient Egyptians.
Antimony gets its name from the Greek words "anti monos" meaning "not alone."

More on the Elements and the Periodic Table

Elements
Periodic Table

Alkali Metals
Lithium
Sodium
Potassium

Alkaline Earth Metals
Beryllium
Magnesium
Calcium
Radium

Transition Metals
Scandium
Titanium
Vanadium
Chromium
Manganese
Iron
Cobalt
Nickel
Copper
Zinc
Silver
Platinum
Gold
Mercury

Post-transition Metals
Aluminum
Gallium
Tin
Lead

Metalloids
Boron
Silicon
Germanium
Arsenic

Nonmetals
Hydrogen
Carbon
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Phosphorus
Sulfur

Halogens
Fluorine
Chlorine
Iodine

Noble Gases
Helium
Neon
Argon

Lanthanides and Actinides
Uranium
Plutonium

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