Final answer:
Metals are shiny, conductive, malleable, and ductile, occupying the left three-fourths of the periodic table, whereas nonmetals are dull, poor conductors, and brittle, located in the upper right-hand corner. Metalloids have properties that fall between metals and nonmetals and border the two groups on the periodic table.
Step-by-step explanation:
General Properties of Metals and Nonmetals Metals and nonmetals exhibit distinct properties and are located in specific areas on the periodic table. Metals, which occupy the left three-fourths of the periodic table, are generally shiny and silvery, excellent conductors of electricity and heat, malleable, and ductile. In contrast, nonmetals, found primarily in the upper right-hand corner of the periodic table, are typically dull, poor conductors of electricity and heat, and brittle when solid.
Metalloids or semimetals, which have intermediate properties between metals and nonmetals, are located along a diagonal border between the two groups. Representative elements and transition metals, colored differently in some periodic table representations, also help differentiate between metals and nonmetals along with distinctive subclasses such as halogens and noble gases. This spatial arrangement on the periodic table helps predict the general properties of elements based on their location.