The modern periodic table has gone through various modifications and changes since its inception.

Through the help of periodic table, we can easily know various features possessed by a certain family of
elements in the world of chemistry. Elements belonging to the halogen family are the non-metallic
elements, placed in the 17th period of the periodic table and their name is derived from the Greek word,
"halo" and "gens", meaning "salt producing".

HaIogen FamiIy of EIements

The halogen family consists of fluorine, bromine, chlorine, iodine and astatine.
EIements of the FamiIy
Elements Electronic Configuration (ns
2
np
5
)
9
F [He]2s
2
2p
5

17
Cl [Ne]3s
2
3p
5

35
Br [Ar]3d
10
4s
2
5p
5

53
[Kr]4d
10
5s
2
5p
5

85
At [Xe]4f
14
5d
10


HaIogen FamiIy Characteristics

The elements of the halogen family generally exist as non metals and in combined forms are known as
metal halides. Found abundantly in Earth's rock crusts and dissolved in sea water, halogens have seven
valence electrons in their valence shell, one less to complete the stable octet state. The characteristics of
halogens separate them from various chemical elements owing to their unique and basic properties.

Down the periodic table, the increase in atomic weight is supplemented by increase in the density,
melting point, boiling point, critical temperature and pressure. Similarly, various other physical properties
like heat of vaporization and fusion are also affected due to the atomic size, bond strength and density of
these elements of halogen family.

Fluorine is pale yellow in color, chlorine yellowish green, bromine dark red and iodine, deep violet. Mostly
oxidation and reduction reactions occur with elements of halogen family. All the three elements, chlorine,
bromine and iodine have electrons in d orbitals and they can hold maximum of 14 electrons.

Amongst various halogen family properties, electronegativity is the most important feature of halogens.
Electronegativity is the ability of an atom or a functional group to attract a valence electron towards itself.
Halogens are one of the most electronegative elements in the periodic table. Being one electron less of
octet, the members of halogen family easily occupy stability and they precede the noble gases in the
periodic table. Halogens generally form the ion X
-
.

Facts About the HaIogen FamiIy

Here are some interesting facts about the halogen family.
Fluorine, the first element of halogen family is the most abundant element among all the family members
and astatine the rarest.
Fluorine and chlorine exist as gases at room temperature, bromine as a liquid and iodine and astatine as
solids.
Bromine is the only non metal that is liquid at room temperature.
Halogens are very reactive compounds, fluorine being the most reactive element in the periodic table.
Fluorine, a high toxic element, was isolated in 1886 by Henri Moissan.
Chlorine was prepared by Scheele in late 1700s and it was proved to be an element by Davy in 1810.
odine was discovered in 1811 by Courtois.
Bromine was first isolated by Balard in 1826.
The halogen family has seven valence electrons.
Fluorine is the most electronegative element in the periodic table and there is no d orbital to expand its
valence shell.
There is no double or triple bonds required to explain the concepts of bonding in halogens.
Hydrogen chloride (HCl), an important industrial product is prepared by using chlorine as its main
component
Bromine is normally used for the preparation of dyes, disinfectants and photographic chemicals.
odine is popularly used in iodized salts, an important ingredient of human diet and as a radioactive
isotope in medical tracker technology.
Most of the members of halogen family consist of isotopes.

%he HaIogens EIements
9
F
18.999
17
Cl
35.45
35
Br
79.90
53

126.9
85
At
(210)

This page contains brief profiles and pictures of
each of the elements in the traditional Group VA
(or VB, depending on which side of the Atlantic
you live on!) or what is now somewhat
optimistically called Group 17. This group of non-
metals is also known as the Halogens. More
information can be found via the WWW links
following each element.

Fluorine (from the Latin 1luere, for "flow") was isolated by Henri Moissan in 1886. t is a highly toxic and reactive greenish-
yellow gas at room temperature. Because of its reactivity, elemental fluorine is never found in nature and no other chemical
element can displace fluorine from its compounds.
n the late 1600's minerals which we now know contain fluorine were used in etching glass. The discovery of the element was
prompted by the search for the chemical substance which was able to attack glass (it is HF, a weak acid). The early history of
the isolation and work with fluorine and hydrogen fluoride is filled with accidents since both are extremely dangerous.
Eventually, electrolysis of a mixture of KF and HF (carefully ensuring that the resulting hydrogen and fluorine would not come
in contact) in a platinum apparatus yielded the element.
Compounds of fluorine are present in fluoridated toothpaste and in many municipal water systems where they help to prevent
tooth decay. And, of course, 1luorocarbons such as Teflon have made a major impact on life in the 20
th
century.

Chlorine, which is similar to fluorine but not as reactive, was prepared by Sheele in the late 1700's and shown to be an
element by Davy in 1810. t is a greenish-yellow gas with a disagreeable odor (you can detect it near poorly balanced
swimming pools). ts name comes from the Greek word chloros, meaning greenish-yellow. n high concentration it is quite
toxic and was used in World War as a poison gas.
Like fluorine and the other members of the halogen family, chlorine is diatomic in nature, occurring as Cl
2
rather than Cl. t
forms -1 ions in ionic compounds with most metals. Perhaps the best known compound of that type is sodium chloride,
common table salt (NaCl).
Small amounts of chlorine can be produced in the lab by oxidizing HCl with MnO
2
. On an industrial scale, chlorine is produced
by electrolysis of brines or even sea water. Sodium hydroxide (also in high demand) is a by-product of the process.
n addition to the ionic compounds that chlorine forms with metals, it also forms molecular compounds with non-metals such
as sulfur and oxygen. There are four different oxides of the element. Hydrogen chloride gas (from which we get hydrochloric
acid) is an important industrial product.

Bromine is a reddish-brown fuming liquid at room temperature with a very disagreeable
chlorine-like smell. n fact its name is derived from the Greek bromos or "stench". t was first
isolated in pure form by Balard in 1826. t is the only non-metal that is a liquid at normal room
conditions. Bromine on the skin causes painful burns that heal very slowly. t is an element to
be treated with the utmost respect in the laboratory.
Most bromine is produced by displacement from ordinary sea water. Chlorine (which is more
active) is generally used to dislodge the bromine from various compounds in the water. Before
leaded gasolines were removed from the market, bromine was used in an additive to help
prevent engine "knocking". Production now is chiefly devoted to dyes, disinfectants and
photographic chemicals.



Elemental iodine is a dark grey solid with a faint metallic luster. When heated at ordinary air pressures it sublimes to a violet
gas. The name iodine is taken from the Greek ioeides which means "violet colored". t was discovered in 1811 by Courtois.
Commercially iodine is recovered from seaweed and brines. t is an important trace element in
the human diet, required for proper function of the thyroid gland. Thus iodine is added to table
salt ("iodized") to insure against iodine deficiencies. Radioactive isotopes of iodine are used in
medical tracer work involving the thyroid and also to treat diseases of that gland.


Astatine is the last of the known halogens and was synthesized in 1940 by
Corson and others at the University of California. t is radioactive and its name,
from the Greek astatos, means "unstable". The element can be produced by
bombarding targets made of bismuth-209 with high energy alpha particles (helium
nuclei). Astatine 211 is the product and has a half-life of 7.2 hours. The most stable isotope of astatine is 210
which has a half-life of 8.1 hours.
Not much is known about the chemical properties of astatine but it is expected to react like the other halogens, although much
less vigorously, and it should be more metallic than iodine. There should be tiny quantities of astatine in the earth's crust as
products of other radioactive decays, but their existence would be short-lived.


7