Question

Which of the following is metalloid?
A) $\text{ Bi }$
B) $\text{ Sn }$
C) $\text{ Ge }$
D) $\text{ C }$

Answer 1

Hint: Metalloids are the class of elements in the periodic table which has intermediate properties in between the metal and non-metal. There are a total of six metalloid elements in the periodic table. Most of the metalloids have physical properties as metal and chemical properties as non-metal. Metalloids have wide applications as a semiconductor.

Complete answer:
Metalloids are the elements in the periodic table which have properties intermediate in between the metal and the non-metal. This is also called the semimetal. On the periodic table, metalloids are the elements that are generally considered borderline elements.
There are six commonly known non-metal. This is boron $\text{ (B) }$ , silicon $\text{ (Si) }$ , germanium $\text{ (Ge ) }$ , arsenic $\text{ (As) }$ , antimony $\text{ (Sb) }$, and tellurium $\text{ (Te ) }$. Typically metalloids have a metallic appearance. They are brittle and conductors of electricity. But chemically they behave as non-metals. These seven elements are in the periodic table in the 13 to 16 group.
Metalloids exist in solid-state. They have a metallic lustre and brittle in nature. Their physical properties are as metal. Metalloids are capable of forming glasses and when mixed with metal they form alloys. Metalloids form allotropes. They form compounds when reacting with halogens. Thus we can say that metalloids have chemical properties of non-metal.
Chemical interaction of metalloids with other elements depends on the number of the electron in the outermost shell. Metalloids interact with metal or nonmetal as per the requirement.
From the given elements germanium does have metallic and non-metal properties. Thus germanium is a metalloid. Germanium is widely used as a semiconductor in industries to improve the conductive properties .germanium is used in fluorescent lamps and infrared detectors. Thus, germanium is a metalloid.

Hence, (C) is the correct option.

Note: Note that, sometimes neighbouring elements to the metalloid are also considered as the metalloid. Carbon behaves as a non-metal or metalloid.it behaves as a non-metal in diamond form but behaves as a metalloid in the graphite form.it acts as an electrical semiconductor and has a metallic lustre. Some of the other elements which can be metalloids include oxygen, phosphorus, selenium, etc.