¨Remember that even in mixed groups of elements, the trends in the periodic table still hold true. Atom size, ease of removing electrons, and ability to form bonds can be predicted as you move across and down the table.

¨The boiling points, melting points, and densities of the metalloids vary. The metalloids make good semiconductors. The metalloids are located along the diagonal line between the metals and nonmetals in the periodic table

¨Silicon and germanium are examples of metalloids.

¨Elements that have some properties of metals and some properties of nonmetals are called metalloids.

¨Hydrogen has a single positive charge, like the alkali metals, but at room temperature, it is a gas that doesn't act like a metal. Therefore, hydrogen usually is labeled as a nonmetal.

¨The lanthanides are silvery metals that tarnish easily. They are relatively soft metals, with high melting and boiling points

¨When you look at the periodic table, you'll see there is a block of two rows of elements below the main body of the chart. The top row has atomic numbers following lanthanum. These elements are called the lanthanides