Which of the following lists the elements in order of increasing malleability?

Question options:

A, Se, Sb, Sn

B. Sb, Sn, Se

C. Sn, Sn, Se

D. Se, Sn, Sb

The answer would be (B) Sb, Sn, Se.

The periodic table may look like a confusing checkerboard of elements, but they are categorized in more ways than you may know.

For malleability, we look for metals. Metals/metallic elements have characteristics like electrical conductivity, malleability, ductility, and other physical characteristics like luster. The more an element is metallic, the more of these characteristics it will have.

So to answer this question, you simply have to see what kind of elements these are:

Sb, 51 (Antimony) : Metalloid

Sn, 50 (Tin) : Transition Metal

Se, 34 (Selenium) : Non-Metal

Therefore, Antimony will have more metal characteristics than the rest, putting it at the top. Selenium is a non-metal, so that goes at the bottom, and Tin will be second.

The correct option is: A. Se, Sb, Sn

Explanation:

Malleability is the physical property of a chemical element, that allows it to change its shape or form thin sheets, when pressure or stress is applied.

It is a characteristic property of a metal. Mettaloids and non-metals are not malleable in nature, as they are brittle.

Since, Selenium (Se) is a non-metal, it is non-malleable.

Antimony (Sb) is a metalloid, it is non-malleable.

Tin (Sn) is a metal, it is malleable.

Therefore, the increasing order of malleability is: A. Se, Sb, Sn.