Tricks for Knowing Locations of Metals and Nonmetals on Periodic Table

[Mackenzie Fernandez 3G]

hi!

I was wondering if anyone had any tricks or tips for memorizing/knowing the general area for metals/nonmetals/metalloids on the periodic table??
thank you!

[Kaili Valenzuela 2B]

Hi! Metals are mostly located in groups 1-13 and nonmetals are mostly starting from group 14 to 18. Metalloids are located starting with Boron and are located in a ladder shape downward to Astatine! I attached an image for a better visualization! Hope this helps!

[Kristina Krivenko 3I]

I think memorizing where metalloids are located is the most important because if you know where metalloids are, you also know that metals are to the left of it and nonmetals are to the right.

The way I memorized the location of metalloids on the periodic table is that I imagine a mental staircase that starts at boron (B) and then goes: one down, one to the right, and repeats until the bottom of the periodic table. Using this method, you would have to memorize that Al and Po are metals, not metalloids; but, other than that, I found this method helpful, so I hope it helps :)

[BaileyB1F]

I don't have any fast way to memorize it, but I like to look at it like a staircase where everything is a metal on the left of there periodic table (except for hydrogen) and then the staircase separates the metals from the non-metals. The staircase is all of the metalloids and to memorize it, you could come up with a rhyme or song. For example, "First B then Si, now you try, then Ge and As is on the test, Sb and Te like 1, 2, 3, and At is all that's left". It kind of rhymes but it's just an example. I hope that helps :)

[Katie Phan 1K]

What everyone else said about the staircase! Divide up the periodic table into blocks and you'll get it in no time.

[Renny_kim_2G]

It is certainly good to memorize using the methods listed above, but I also recommend that you take into consideration each molecule your come across. I got into a habit of noting which elements seem present in certain situations, and this helps me understand or assume that certain elements are metals/nonmetals/metalloids, etc.

[Lucy_Balish_3G]

I think memorizing where metalloids are located is the most important because if you know where metalloids are, you also know that metals are to the left of it and nonmetals are to the right.

The way I memorized the location of metalloids on the periodic table is that I imagine a mental staircase that starts at boron (B) and then goes: one down, one to the right, and repeats until the bottom of the periodic table. Using this method, you would have to memorize that Al and Po are metals, not metalloids; but, other than that, I found this method helpful, so I hope it helps :)

This staircase trick is super helpful and actually makes it easy to memorize. In terms of nonmetals vs metals on each side, once you know the divider it is pretty simple to infer which are which just based on the element you are dealing with (is oxygen a metal? no). So I definitely recommend knowing the "metalloid staircase".

[LexyDenaburg_3A]

I struggle with memorizing this too, so thank you for these tips!!

[805421690]

hi!

I was wondering if anyone had any tricks or tips for memorizing/knowing the general area for metals/nonmetals/metalloids on the periodic table??
thank you!

Once you learn staircase it becomes very easy! you can try searching up videos on YouTube if you are a visual learner as well, hope this helped!