Elements to the right of the stair-steps in the periodic table

The staircase line indicates the position of the metalloids in the Periodic Table.

The elements along side the line are metalloids. They have both metallic and nonmetallic character.

Elements to the right of the stair-steps in the periodic table

The elements on the immediate right of the line tend to gain electrons more than lose them. They have relatively high electronegativities.

Silicon, for example, is a semiconductor. It is more of a nonmetal than a metal, but it has some of the properties of both metals and nonmetals.

The elements to the immediate left of the line tend to lose electrons more easily than gain them. These elements have relatively low electronegativities.

Boron, for example, forms positive ions like metals. However, it is not malleable like most metals, but is brittle like a nonmetal.

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Hint :The different colour used in the periodic table is used to separate metals from the semi conductors for example silicon and germanium and also non metals. Most of the elements in the periodic table are metals.

Complete Step By Step Answer:
The stair step line that we can see in the group $ 3 - 7 $ separates the elements and helps us identify if it is metal or nonmetals. When it comes to the stairs at the right side they are called as non metals. For example- carbon, chlorine, phosphorus, sulphur, etc. Non metals have the property or characteristic such as poor conductivity of heat and electricity. When we come towards the left we can see the presence of metals, for example boron, silicon, germanium, arsenic, polonium, tellurium, antimony, etc. They have the property of malleability, have high melting point and are also known as good conductors of electricity. The stair steps are also known as metalloids having the characteristic of both metals and nonmetals They are known to be semi conductors of both heat and electricity and react as a metal or non metal which depends on the element they bond with.

Note :
The bold staircase that is present on the periodic table allows us to classify which of the following elements is metals, non metals, or metalloid. It acts like a divider that will allow us to distinguish the properties of the present element.

Continue Learning about Chemistry

What does stair step line on the periodic table divide?

If the stair step line on periodic table divide, then the elements to the left of this line are metals, except hydrogen


What do you call elements to the right of the stair steps on the periodic table?

noble gases


Are elements that lie along the stair-step line of the periodic table metals?

No. The elements that lie along the stair step line of the periodic table are metalloids. They have properties similar to those of metals and non-metals.


What is true about the elements in a given column in the periodic table?

The thing that is true about the elements in a given column in the periodic table is... Sex!


What is the staircase called along the periodic table?

The elements on the stair case are called metalloids.

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Updated on January 28, 2020

Elements of the periodic table are grouped as metals, metalloids or semimetals, and nonmetals. The metalloids separate the metals and nonmetals on a periodic table. Also, many periodic tables have a stair-step line on the table identifying the element groups. The line begins at boron (B) and extends down to polonium (Po). Elements to the left of the line are considered metals. Elements just to the right of the line exhibit properties of both metals and nonmetals and are termed metalloids or semimetals. Elements to the far right of the periodic table are nonmetals. The exception is hydrogen (H), the first element on the periodic table. At ordinary temperatures and pressures, hydrogen behaves as a nonmetal.

Properties of Metals

Most elements are metals. Examples of metals include iron, tin, sodium, and plutonium. Metals exhibit the following properties:

  • Usually solid at room temperature (mercury is an exception)
  • High luster (shiny)
  • Metallic appearance
  • Good conductors of heat and electricity
  • Malleable (can be bent and pounded into thin sheets)
  • Ductile (can be drawn into wire)
  • Corrode or oxidize in air and seawater
  • Usually dense (exceptions include lithium, potassium, and sodium)
  • May have a very high melting point
  • Readily lose electrons

Properties of Metalloids or Semimetals

Examples of metalloids include boron, silicon, and arsenic. Metalloids have some of the properties of metals and some nonmetallic characteristics.

  • Dull or shiny
  • Usually conduct heat and electricity, though not as well as metals
  • Often make good semiconductors
  • Often exist in several forms
  • Often ductile
  • Often malleable
  • May gain or lose electrons in reactions

Properties of Nonmetals

Nonmetals exhibit very different properties from metals. Examples of nonmetals include oxygen, chlorine, and argon. Nonmetals display some or all of the following characteristics:

  • Dull appearance
  • Usually brittle
  • Poor conductors of heat and electricity
  • Usually less dense, compared to metals
  • Usually low melting point of solids, compared with metals
  • Tend to gain electrons in chemical reactions

What elements are to the right of the staircase?

Elements on the right side of the periodic table are NONMETALS. The staggered stair step on the periodic table divides the metals from the nonmetals.

Which elements are located on the left side of the stair step in the periodic table?

The elements to the left of the stairs in the periodic table are called metals.

What type of elements border the stair step?

Metalloids can also be called semimetals. On the periodic table, the elements colored yellow, which generally border the stair-step line, are considered to be metalloids.

What is the stair step line on the periodic table called?

This line has been called the amphoteric line, the metal-nonmetal line, the metalloid line, the semimetal line, or the staircase. While it has also been called the Zintl border or the Zintl line these terms instead refer to a vertical line sometimes drawn between groups 13 and 14.