Order the following elements in increasing metallic character: Si, P, S.

To understand the increasing metallic character among silicon (Si), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S), it is essential to consider the position of these elements in the periodic table and their properties.

Metallic character increases as one moves down a group and decreases across a period from left to right. Silicon is found in group 14, while phosphorus and sulfur are in groups 15 and 16 respectively. As you move from silicon to phosphorus and then to sulfur in the same period (row), the elements transition from metalloid (Si) to non-metals (P and S).

Silicon, being a metalloid, displays some metallic characteristics, but as a non-metal, phosphorus possesses fewer metallic properties than silicon, and sulfur, also a non-metal, has even less metallic character than phosphorus. Thus, the correct order reflecting increasing metallic character is silicon (most metallic) followed by phosphorus, and then sulfur (least metallic).

Hence, when ordered from least to most metallic, the sequence is silicon, phosphorus, sulfur, making the choice encompassing this order the correct answer.