Nonmetals that do not react naturally with other elements are inert. These nonmetals are called the noble gases and are in Group 18 (VIIIA) on the Periodic Table.
Nonmetals may react with metal to form ionic compounds (salts) or other nonmetal elements to form organic compounds.
Plutonium can react with the majority of the nonmetals.
Nonmetals commonly react with metals to form ionic compounds. Nonmetals can also react with other nonmetals to form covalent compounds. Additionally, nonmetals can react with oxygen, hydrogen, and halogens to form various types of compounds.
Something that can happen is they can gain, lose, or share four elements.
Something that can happen is they can gain, lose, or share four elements.
Examples of active nonmetals include oxygen, fluorine, chlorine, and bromine. These elements readily form compounds and react with other elements to gain electrons.
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The noble gases: Helium, Neon, Argon, Krypton, Xenon, Radon, all the gases in that chemical group or family. The noble gases do not usually form compounds, except under extreme conditions: high heat and pressure, and then only in the presence of a catalyst, such a platinum [Pt] or nickel [Ni].
They tend to gain electrons when reacting with a metal. Metals generally are short of a full octet by 1 to 4 valence electrons. It is easier to drop 2 electrons than try to gain 6 electrons. The elements in group four can go either way, but the other metals will give up electrons, and non-metals will take them.
The nonmetals share the atoms when reacting with each other.
Elements from the boron, carbon, pnictogen, chalcogen and halogen families (groups 13 to 17) react with metals.
Something that can happen is they can gain, lose, or share four elements.