Emily created a table to highlight the similarities and differences between the properties of metals and nonmetals.

Most metals | Most nonmetals
Good conductor | Poor conductor
High melting point | Low melting point
Non malleable | Malleable
Hard | Not hard
Emily made an error in her table. Which option best explains the mistake she made?

1 answer

The error in Emily's table is in the row that states "Non malleable" for most metals. Most metals are actually malleable, meaning they can be hammered or shaped without breaking. Therefore, the correct comparison should indicate that most metals are malleable, while most nonmetals are not malleable. A more accurate statement would be:

  • Most metals: Malleable
  • Most nonmetals: Not malleable

This correction highlights the true properties of metals and nonmetals correctly.