Metals comprise approximately what percentage of all elements?

• A. 25-35%
• B. 75-80%
• C. 50-60%
• D. 10-20%

Answer: (B)

Metals make up the majority of elements. In the periodic table, most elements are metals, found in the left and center sections (including the main groups and transition/post-transition metals), while nonmetals sit mainly on the upper-right. A rough count of known elements shows metals comprising about three quarters of them, which is roughly 75–80%. Therefore the best choice is the range that states about 75–80%. The other ranges would imply metals are far fewer or about half the elements, which doesn’t match how the elements are distributed.