Which element is most likely to bend without breaking? carbon (C) iodine (I) silicon (Si) cobalt (Co)

The answer is Cobalt (Co). Iodine is a gas at room temperature so it is out of the question. Carbon is non-metal so its common allotrope which is graphite is very brittle. Brittleness is a mechanical property of a material to break easily upon the application of a force, which is very common to non-metals and some metalloids. Silicon is a metalloid and Cobalt is a metal. Metals show a high degree of plasticity as compared to non-metals and metalloids. Plasticity is a mechanical property of a material to be deformed without breaking.