Traditionally they include boron from group 3A, silicon and germanium in group 4A, aresnic and antimony in group 5A and tellurium from group 6A, although sometimes selenium, astatine, polonium and even bismuth have also been considered as metalloids. Typically metalloids are brittle and show a semi-metallic luster.
The six commonly recognised metalloids are boron, silicon, germanium, arsenic, antimony, and tellurium. Five elements are less frequently so classified: carbon, aluminium, selenium, polonium, and astatine.
