substance that does not exhibit such characteristic properties of metals (metal) as hardness, mechanical adaptability, or the ability to conduct electricity. This classification is generally applied to the chemical elements carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen, sulfur, selenium, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and the noble-gas elements. These elements have few physical properties in common; most are gases, one (bromine) is liquid, and others are solids.

The atoms of nonmetals generally are small and contain relatively large numbers of electrons in their outermost shells. In the noble-gas atoms, the electron shells are completely filled; thus, the elements are almost completely inert. The other nonmetals have nearly filled electron shells, requiring only a few additional electrons to assume the stable, noble-gas configuration. Therefore, in the presence of other atoms, these nonmetallic atoms have pronounced tendencies to attract electrons to themselves (high electronegativities). They form chemical compounds by attracting electrons away from other atoms of lower electronegativities or by sharing electrons with atoms of comparable electronegativities.

Although there are only a few nonmetallic elements, they constitute a large portion of the Earth's crust and are essential for the growth and existence of living things.