Purified Elements and Metallic Color

Name: David
Status: student
Grade: 4-5
Location: NY

Question: In a book I saw photographs of samples of the elements in their purified 
states. Why is it that most of the purified elements, metal and non-metal, are 
silver in color?
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I am not sure I agree with the premise that purified elements are "silver" in color. 
A majority of the elements in the periodic table are metals, so that they look shiny 
or silvery  is just a property of metals. Other elements, for example chlorine, is a 
gas at standard conditions - - and bromine is a liquid. These are not "silvery".

Vince Calder
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