Question

Which of the following is a metalloid?
A. \[Si\]
B. $Sb$
C. Both $A$ and $B$
D. $Zn$

Answer 1

Hint: A metalloid is an element that resides the property of both metal and non- metal. This means that they sometimes behave as a metal and sometimes behave as a non- metal. Typical metalloids have a metallic appearance, but they are brittle and only fair conductors of electricity. Chemically, they behave mostly as nonmetals.

Complete step by step answer:
A metalloid is an element in the periodic table that possesses a number of various properties in between, or that are a mixture of, those of metals and nonmetals, and which is therefore hard to classify as either a metal or a nonmetal. The elements can only be classified based on their metallic and non- metallic character by various processes but metalloids can’t be classified as such because they, in general, show chemical reactivity of both types of elements. Most elements have a mixture of metallic and nonmetallic properties, and can be classified according to which set of properties is more pronounced. Only the elements at or near the margins, lacking a sufficiently clear quality of either metallic or nonmetallic properties, are classified as metalloids.
Boron ($B$ ), silicon ($Si$ ), germanium ($Ge$ ), arsenic ($As$ ), antimony ($Sb$ ), and tellurium ($Te$ ) are commonly recognized as metalloids.

Thus, the correct option is C. Both $A$ and $B$ .

Note:
Metalloids usually look like metals but behave largely like nonmetals. Physically, they are shiny, brittle solids with intermediate to relatively good electrical conductivity and the electronic band structure of a semimetal or semiconductor. Chemically, they mostly behave as non-metals; have intermediate ionization energies and electronegativity values, and amphoteric or weakly acidic oxides. They can form alloys with metals. Most of their other physical and chemical properties are intermediate in nature.