As expected, semimetals exhibit properties intermediate between metals and nonmetals. Most solid nonmetals are brittle, so they break into small pieces when hit with a hammer or pulled into a wire. Nonmetals can be gases (such as chlorine), liquids (such as bromine), or solids (such as iodine) at room temperature and pressure. Non-metals are usually dull, brittle, and poor conductors of heat and electricity. They are usually hard and brittle, but can be melted down and reshaped. Metals are typically shiny and good at conducting heat and electricity. They lie along a staircase between the metals and nonmetals. Metals are found on the left side of the table, while non-metals are on the right. Metalloids are the six or so elements with properties of both metals and nonmetals. Nonmetals, in contrast, are generally poor conductors of heat and electricity and are not lustrous. As you can see from this color coded version of the Periodic Table, most of the elements are metals. Of the metals, only mercury is a liquid at room temperature and pressure all the rest are solids. The vast majority of the known elements are metals. Metals-such as copper or gold-are good conductors of electricity and heat they can be pulled into wires because they are ductile they can be hammered or pressed into thin sheets or foils because they are malleable and most have a shiny appearance, so they are lustrous. The distinction between metals and nonmetals is one of the most fundamental in chemistry. Gold-colored lements that lie along the diagonal line exhibit properties intermediate between metals and nonmetals they are called semimetals. A majority of the elements on the periodic table of elements categorize themselves as metals. \) divides the elements into metals (in blue, below and to the left of the line) and nonmetals (in bronze, above and to the right of the line).