Which statement describes non-metals?

• A. They can be solids, liquids, or gases
• B. They are always solids at room temperature
• C. They are shiny and malleable
• D. They conduct electricity well

Answer: (A)

Non-metals show a wide range of physical states at room temperature, so the statement that they can be solids, liquids, or gases best describes them. Oxygen and nitrogen are gases, sulfur and phosphorus are solids, and bromine is a liquid at room temperature. The other statements try to pin down a single universal property for all non-metals, which isn’t accurate: non-metals are not always solids at room temperature, they aren’t typically shiny or malleable like metals, and they don’t conduct electricity well in general (with a few carbon forms being exceptions).