| Potassium also reacts readily with all acids and with many nonmetals, such as sulfur, fluorine, chlorine, phosphorus, and nitrogen. |
| Known as the native elements, they are partitioned into three families: metals, semimetals, and nonmetals. |
| In contrast most other nonmetals tend to form polyatomic molecules in the gaseous state. |
| The nonmetals have a tendency to react chemically with metals and gain electrons to form negative ions. |
| They consist of metals and nonmetals bound together in a crystalline or non-crystalline structure. |
| The native nonmetals diamond, fullerene, graphite, and sulfur are structurally distinct from the metals and semimetals. |
