3
lesson pretestMultiple Choice

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Question 3 • Physical Science

For metalloids on the periodic table, how do the group number and the period number relate?

Answer
A
The higher the group number, the lower the period numbers, so the metalloids are found in a diagonal moving down from left to right.
B
The lower the group number, the lower the period numbers, so the metalloids are found in a diagonal moving down from left to right.
C
The lower the group number, the higher the period numbers, so the metalloids are found in a diagonal moving up from left to right.
D
The higher the group number, the higher the period numbers, so the metalloids are found in a diagonal moving up from left to right.

Explanation

Moving along the metalloid staircase from boron toward tellurium, the group number generally increases as the period number increases: boron is in group 13, period 2, while tellurium is in group 16, period 5. Thus, lower group numbers go with lower period numbers, and the staircase moves down as it goes from left to right. Choice D gives the matching group-and-period relationship but incorrectly says the staircase moves up.

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