Question

Steel is an alloy made out of metals like iron, carbon, chromium, nickel and tungsten.

But carbon is a non metal. Then how it comes under metals.?

Answer 1

Due to catenation and tetravalency

Answer 2

The no of electrons present in the valence shell of an atom determine whether it’s a metal ,non-metal or metalloid.If an element has 1,2 or 3 electrons in it’s valence shell it is considered as a metal, if it has 5,6 or 7 electrons it is considered as a non metal and if it has 4 electrons in it’s valence shell then it is considered as a metalloid.Carbon has 4 electrons in it’s valence shell which makes it a metalloid but commonly it is considered as a non metal.

hope this helps