Which of the following statements best describes the ductility of metalloids?

• A. Metalloids are generally not ductile.
• B. Metalloids are more ductile than nonmetals but less than metals.
• C. All metalloids are highly ductile.
• D. Metalloids are generally ductile like metals.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of ductility. Ductility is the ability of a material to be stretched into a wire without breaking. Metals are typically ductile, nonmetals are usually not ductile, and metalloids have properties intermediate between metals and nonmetals.
2. Step 2: Recall the general physical properties of metalloids. Metalloids have mixed characteristics; they can be semiconductors and have some metallic luster but are usually brittle rather than malleable or ductile.
3. Step 3: Compare ductility among metals, metalloids, and nonmetals. Metals are highly ductile, nonmetals are generally not ductile, and metalloids tend to be less ductile than metals but more so than nonmetals.
4. Step 4: Analyze the given statements in the problem. The statement that metalloids are generally not ductile aligns with their typical brittle nature, while the statement that they are more ductile than nonmetals but less than metals reflects their intermediate properties.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best description is that metalloids are generally not ductile, as they do not exhibit the high ductility characteristic of metals and are often brittle.