Answer:
B) fewer in number and less strongly held
Explanation:
If we  look closely at the periodic table from left to right, we will notice that the number of valence electrons increases steadily as we move across the periodic table from left to right.
Metals are mostly at the left hand side of the periodic table while nonmetals are found at the righthand side of the table.
Metals are less electronegative than nonmetals and typically have a lower effective nuclear charge than nonmetals hence the fewer valence electrons of metals are less strongly held(due to less effective nuclear charge) than those of nonmetals.
