What are halogens?

Halogens are a group of elements present in the seventeenth column of the periodic table. These elements are known as halogens because on reacting with alkali metals, they product different metal salts: The term 'halo' implies 'salt' and 'gens' implies 'producers'. Thus, halogens means salt producers. For example, chlorine (Cl), the first halogen, reacts with sodium to product the salt sodium chloride:

Na + Cl -> NaCl

The list of halogens from top to bottom in the periodic table is as follows:

• Fluorine (F)
• Chlorine (Cl)
• Bromine (Br)
• Iodine (I)
• Astatine (At)

Halogens are pure nonmetals. These are electronegative elements. In chemical reactions they tend to gain electrons in the outermost shell of their atoms to produce negatively charged ions. Since these elements form negatively charged ions easily, they form many ionic compounds.