General, ceramics are characterized by which of the following properties (four best answers): (a) brittleness, (b) chemical inertness, (c) electrically insulating, (d) high electrical conductivity, (e) high hardness, (f) high thermal conductivity, (g) low density, and (h) low thermal conductivity?

since the atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus, as we move to the left on the periodic table, the electrostatic pull between the nucleus and the valence electron shell decreases. as we move down a group (vertical column), the valence shell energy level gets further and further from the nucleus.