Video Transcript
The image below shows a highlighted row in the periodic table. How does the elemental type change when moving across the row from lithium to
neon? (A) Inert gas, metal, metalloid, nonmetal. (B) Metal, metalloid, nonmetal, inert gas. (C) Metal, nonmetal, metalloid, inert gas. (D) Metalloid, nonmetal, inert gas, metal. Or (E) nonmetal, inert gas, metal, metalloid.
In this question, we are being asked to determine how the type of element changes as
we move across the second row of the periodic table. On the periodic table, a row is called a period, whereas a column is called a
group. There are four main types of elements found in the periodic table: metals, nonmetals,
metalloids, and inert gases. For now, let’s clear all color and element symbols from the periodic table.
The metallic character of elements tends to decrease when moving across the periodic
table from left to right. Metallic character relates to how easily atoms lose electrons during chemical
reactions. Metals have the highest metallic character. They lose electrons easily. Metals are located on the left side of the periodic table.
Metalloids, which are labeled here in blue, have less metallic character. Nonmetal elements and inert gases have even less metallic character. These elements do not lose electrons easily. Most nonmetals are found on the right side of the periodic table. The inert gases are found in the last group on the periodic table. The word “inert” means unreactive, so these gases generally don’t react with other
elements. So they do not usually lose electrons, and they have the least amount of metallic
character of all the elements on the periodic table.
Now when we look at the elements in period two, we see that they follow the pattern
of decreasing metallic character we just learned about. Lithium and beryllium are metals. Boron is a metalloid. Carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and fluorine are nonmetals. And neon is an inert gas.
When looking at the answer choices, we can see that choice (B) is the correct
answer. Therefore, when moving across the row from lithium to neon, the elemental type
changes in the following order: metal, metalloid, nonmetal, inert gas.
