Group 7 – The Halogens

Group 7: The halogens

How does reactivity change as you descend Group 7?

It decreases.

Explain why.

As you go down the group a new electron shell is added, so the outermost (highest energy) shell is
further from the nucleus. This makes it harder for the atom to attract an electron and complete its
outer shell.

What type of bonds do the halogens form?

Ionic and covalent

Draw a dot and cross diagram to show the bonding in sodium fluoride.

NaF =

Draw a dot and cross diagram to show the bonding in calcium chloride.

CaCl2 =
 Group 7 – The Halogens

Draw a dot and cross diagram to show the bonding in i) fluorine and ii) hydrogen chloride.

F2 = HCl =

 Displacement of halides with halogens

What is the difference between a halogen and a halide?

A halogen is the atom or the element itself, for example chlorine is Cl or Cl 2.

A halide is the ion, for example Chloride is Cl -.

A more reactive halogen can displace a less reactive halogen from a solution of one of its salts.

Write a word and balanced symbol equation for the reaction of bromine with sodium iodide.

Bromine + Sodium Iodide → Sodium Bromide + Iodine

Br2(aq) + 2NaI(aq) → 2NaBr(aq) + I2(aq)

Explain why this is a REDOX reaction.

Iodide is oxidised (loses electrons, I- → I) and bromine is reduced (gains electrons, Br → Br-)

Write a word and balanced symbol equation for the reaction of chlorine with sodium bromide.

Chlorine + Sodium Bromide → Sodium Chloride + Bromine

Cl2(aq) + 2NaBr(aq) → 2NaCl(aq) + Br2(aq)

Explain why this is a REDOX reaction.

Bromide is oxidised (loses electrons, Br- → Br) and chlorine is reduced (gains electrons, Cl → Cl -)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
 Group 7 – The Halogens

Write a word and balanced symbol equation for the reaction of iodine with sodium chloride.

Iodine + Sodium Chloride → No reaction

I2(aq) + 2NaCl(aq) → No reaction

Which of the following reactions will not occur as written?

A. Cl2(aq) + 2NaBr(aq) → 2NaCl(aq) + Br2(aq)

B. I2(aq) + 2KBr(aq) → 2KI(aq) + Br2(aq)

C. Br2(aq) + 2LiI(aq) → 2LiBr(aq) + I2(aq)

 Reaction of halogens with hydrogen

Write a word and symbol equation for the reaction of hydrogen and chlorine?

Hydrogen + Chlorine → Hydrogen Chloride

H2(g) + Cl2(aq) → 2HCl(g)

Write a word and symbol equation for the reaction of hydrogen and bromine?

Hydrogen + Bromine → Hydrogen Bromide

H2(g) + Br2(aq) → 2HBr(g)

Which reaction requires a high temperature and a catalyst to proceed? Explain why

The reaction of hydrogen and bromine because bromine is less reactive than chlorine.

Summary questions

1. Fill in the blanks using words from the word bank

Group 7 elements are also called the halogens Fluorine, at the top of the group, is the most reactive,
while iodine is much less reactive. They react with other non-metals to form compounds which have
covalent bonds. With metals they react to form ionic compounds.

Word bank: covalent, halogens, ionic, less, most, top.

2. Write a word and balanced symbol equation, including state symbols, for the reaction of:
 Group 7 – The Halogens
i) Potassium metal and iodine vapour

Potassium + Iodine → Potassium Iodide

2K(s) + I2(g) → 2KI(s)

ii) Chlorine water and sodium iodide solution

Chlorine + Sodium Iodide → Sodium Chloride + Iodine

Cl2(aq) + 2NaI(aq) → 2NaCl(aq) + I2(aq)

iii) Why isn’t fluorine used to displace halides from their aqueous salts?

Fluorine reacts violently with water.