Of the following compounds, which contains a metalloid?

A. [tex][tex]$SiF_4$[/tex][/tex]
B. [tex][tex]$SCl_2$[/tex][/tex]
C. [tex][tex]$In_2O_3$[/tex][/tex]
D. [tex][tex]$Sn\left(C_2H_5\right)_4$[/tex][/tex]
E. [tex][tex]$Bi_2S_3$[/tex][/tex]



Answer :

To determine which compound contains a metalloid, we first need to identify the metalloid elements. Metalloids have properties intermediate between metals and nonmetals and typically include the following elements:

- Boron (B)
- Silicon (Si)
- Germanium (Ge)
- Arsenic (As)
- Antimony (Sb)
- Tellurium (Te)
- Polonium (Po)

Now, we will check each compound in the list for the presence of any metalloid:

A) [tex]\( SiF_4 \)[/tex]: This compound contains silicon (Si), which is a metalloid.

B) [tex]\( SCl_2 \)[/tex]: This compound contains sulfur (S) and chlorine (Cl). Neither sulfur nor chlorine are metalloids; sulfur is a nonmetal, and chlorine is a nonmetal.

C) [tex]\( In_2O_3 \)[/tex]: This compound contains indium (In) and oxygen (O). Indium is a metal, and oxygen is a nonmetal. Neither is a metalloid.

D) [tex]\( Sn \left( C_2H_5\right)_4 \)[/tex]: This compound contains tin (Sn) and carbon (C) from the ethyl group (C_2H_5). Tin is a metal, and carbon is a nonmetal. Neither is a metalloid.

E) [tex]\( Bi_2S_3 \)[/tex]: This compound contains bismuth (Bi) and sulfur (S). Bismuth is a metal, and sulfur is a nonmetal. Neither is a metalloid.

From these observations, the only compound that contains a metalloid is:

A) [tex]\( SiF_4 \)[/tex]

Thus, choice A is the correct answer because it contains silicon (Si), which is a metalloid.