Which one of the following elements is a non-metal but is lustrous ?
Carbon
Silicon
Germanium
Iodine
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2021
– Non-metals are typically brittle, non-lustrous, and poor conductors (except for graphite).
– Iodine exhibits properties characteristic of non-metals (e.g., it forms negative ions, is a poor conductor of electricity in solid form) but stands out for its metallic lustre in solid state.
– Silicon and Germanium are metalloids, possessing properties intermediate between metals and non-metals, and they are typically lustrous semiconductors. The question asks for a non-metal.