Metalloids have three to six valence electrons , which allows them to exhibit properties intermediate between metals and nonmetals

. This range of valence electrons means metalloids can either lose or gain electrons depending on the chemical context, enabling them to form covalent bonds like nonmetals or sometimes behave like metals

. Their valence electrons are more tightly bound to their nuclei than those in metals , so they do not conduct electricity as freely as metals do, but better than nonmetals. This intermediate electron binding and valence electron count explain why metalloids are semiconductors-they have electrical conductivity between that of metals and insulators

. In summary, metalloids are semiconductors because:

• They have three to six valence electrons, allowing flexible electron loss or gain.
• Their electrons are more tightly held than in metals, limiting free electron movement.
• This results in moderate electrical conductivity characteristic of semiconductors.

Therefore, the correct explanation is that metalloids have three to six valence electrons, so they can lose or gain electrons , which underlies their semiconducting behavior.