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Dividing line between metals and nonmetals
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<table><tbody><tr><th></th><th><a href="/facts/Alkali_metal/IkWbCLk2">1</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Alkaline_earth_metal/Ts4U5zIe">2</a></th><th> ... </th><th><a href="/facts/Group_12_element/z8aB00Ih">12</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Boron_group/RXnvqnNk">13</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Carbon_group/PkWCV3Vx">14</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Nitrogen_group/jX4hvCkK">15</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Chalcogen/nXLGmnqL">16</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Halogen/YeFgWHeA">17</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Noble_gas/j0yHMEAE">18</a></th><th></th></tr><tr><td> </td><td>H</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>He</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Li</td><td>Be</td><td></td><td></td><td><a href="/facts/Boron/Pmwgd7Mf">B</a></td><td>C</td><td>N</td><td>O</td><td>F</td><td>Ne</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Na</td><td>Mg</td><td></td><td></td><td>Al</td><td><a href="/facts/Silicon/cgWx0hdr">Si</a></td><td>P</td><td>S</td><td>Cl</td><td>Ar</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>K</td><td>Ca</td><td></td><td>Zn</td><td>Ga</td><td><a href="/facts/Germanium/wtoALHGs">Ge</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Arsenic/k1c4f44D">As</a></td><td>Se</td><td>Br</td><td>Kr</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Rb</td><td>Sr</td><td></td><td>Cd</td><td>In</td><td>Sn</td><td><a href="/facts/Antimony/YsA7lVgT">Sb</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Tellurium/v7QvfIvS">Te</a></td><td>I</td><td>Xe</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Cs</td><td>Ba</td><td></td><td>Hg</td><td>Tl</td><td>Pb</td><td>Bi</td><td><a href="/facts/Polonium/G4rzsyjP">Po</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Astatine/AlbHPBK5">At</a></td><td>Rn</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Fr</td><td>Ra</td><td></td><td>Cn</td><td>Nh</td><td>Fl</td><td>Mc</td><td>Lv</td><td>Ts</td><td>Og</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td colspan="10">Condensed periodic table showing a typical metal–nonmetal dividing line. Elements commonly recognised as <a href="/facts/Metalloid/uMFVXuTq">metalloids</a> (boron, silicon, germanium, arsenic, antimony and tellurium) and those inconsistently recognised as such (polonium and astatine) Metal-nonmetal dividing line (arbitrary): between Li and H, Be and B, Al and Si, Ge and As, Sb and Te, Po and At, Ts and Og</td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The dividing line between <a href="/facts/Metal/PT8hNX6R">metals</a> and <a href="/facts/Nonmetal_(chemistry)/0oejKuzK">nonmetals</a> can be found, in varying configurations, on some representations of the <a href="/facts/Periodic_table_of_the_elements/umdGIfUb">periodic table of the elements</a> (see mini-example, right). Elements to the lower left of the line generally display increasing metallic behaviour; elements to the upper right display increasing nonmetallic behaviour. When presented as a regular stair-step, elements with the highest critical temperature for their groups (Li, Be, Al, Ge, Sb, Po) lie just below the line. </p><p>The location and therefore usefulness of the line is debated. It cuts through the <a href="/facts/Metalloids/uMFVXuTq">metalloids</a>, elements that share properties between metals and nonmetals, in an arbitrary manner, since the transition between metallic and non-metallic properties among these elements is gradual. </p>