Question

which properties are characteristics of nonmetals? check all that apply. malleable brittle solid at room temperature low density electrical insulator thermal conductor

Explanation:

To determine the properties of nonmetals:

• Malleable: Metals are malleable (can be hammered into sheets), nonmetals are not. So this is not a nonmetal property.
• Brittle: Nonmetals are often brittle (break easily when force is applied), so this is a nonmetal property.
• Solid at room temperature: Some nonmetals are gases (e.g., oxygen, nitrogen) or liquid (bromine is a nonmetal liquid), so not all nonmetals are solid. But some nonmetals like carbon (graphite, diamond) are solid. However, this is not a defining characteristic for all nonmetals. But among the options, brittle, low density, and electrical insulator are more characteristic. Wait, let's re - evaluate:
• Low density: Nonmetals generally have lower density compared to metals, so this is a property.
• Electrical insulator: Nonmetals do not conduct electricity well (except for some like graphite which is an exception, but generally they are insulators), so this is a property.
• Thermal conductor: Metals are good thermal conductors, nonmetals are not good thermal conductors (except for exceptions like graphite), so this is not a nonmetal property.

So the properties of nonmetals from the list are brittle, low density, and electrical insulator. Also, some nonmetals are solid at room temperature (like sulfur, carbon), but it's not a universal property. But based on typical nonmetal properties: brittle (nonmetals are brittle, metals are malleable), low density (nonmetals have lower density than most metals), electrical insulator (nonmetals don't conduct electricity well), and some nonmetals are solid at room temperature (though not all). Wait, the question is to check all that apply. Let's recall the standard properties:

Nonmetals:

• Physical state: Can be solid, liquid (bromine) or gas (oxygen, nitrogen) at room temperature.
• Malleability: Nonmetals are brittle (not malleable), metals are malleable.
• Density: Generally low density.
• Electrical conductivity: Poor conductors (insulators), except for graphite (a form of carbon, a nonmetal) which is a good conductor.
• Thermal conductivity: Poor thermal conductors, except for graphite.

So from the options:

• Malleable: No (metals are malleable)
• Brittle: Yes (nonmetals are brittle)
• Solid at room temperature: Some nonmetals are solid (e.g., carbon, sulfur), so this can apply (but not all nonmetals, but among the options, it's a possible one)
• Low density: Yes (nonmetals have low density)
• Electrical insulator: Yes (most nonmetals are electrical insulators)
• Thermal conductor: No (metals are good thermal conductors, nonmetals are not)

But the most characteristic ones are brittle, low density, electrical insulator, and some nonmetals are solid at room temperature. However, the key properties of nonmetals (as per typical definitions) include being brittle, having low density, being electrical insulators. Some nonmetals are solid at room temperature, so that can also be checked.

Answer:

The properties that are characteristics of nonmetals are:

• brittle
• solid at room temperature (for some nonmetals like carbon, sulfur)
• low density
• electrical insulator

In boxed form (listing the options as per the checkboxes, assuming the options are labeled as follows, for example, if the checkboxes are labeled A - F:

A. malleable - No

B. brittle - Yes

C. solid at room temperature - Yes (for some nonmetals)

D. low density - Yes

E. electrical insulator - Yes

F. thermal conductor - No

So the correct options to check are B, C, D, E.

(If we consider the standard properties, the main ones are brittle, low density, electrical insulator, and some nonmetals are solid at room temperature. So the checkboxes to mark are brittle, solid at room temperature, low density, electrical insulator.)