Grade- IX

Chemistry

Group 7- The Halogens

The Group-7 elements are an arrangement of non-metals
called the halogens. Look at the arrangement below and keep
these in mind very carefully :
b.p and m.p increase

reactivity falls

color becomes darker

F
fluorine - YELLOW
Cl
chlorine- GREEN
Br bromine- RED-BROWN LIQUID, ORANGE / BROWN VAPOUR

I
iodine- GREY SOLID, PURPLE VAPOUR
At
astatine- BLACK SOLID

The name ‘halogen’ means ‘salt- producing’. When they

react with metals, these elements produce a wide range of
salts, including halides. All the salts contain the X - ion (where
X stands for any halogen atom). They are non-metallic
elements with diatomic (double) molecules. Keep these in
mind too:

Physical state at room temperature

F2 Gas
Cl2 Gas
Br2 Liquid
I2 Solid
At2 Solid
Group 7 – Properties, reactions and precautions
Chapter- 12 The Halogens Page 1
 Grade- IX
Chemistry

Intermolecular forces are the forces of attraction between

molecules. As covalent molecular substances, the melting and
boiling points of the halogens increase as the relative
molecular masses increase. That means, more energy must be
put in overcome their forces of attraction as intermolecular
forces become stronger because relative molecular mass
increases. Therefore, no covalent bonds are broken when
melting or boiling them. As non-metals, the halogens are poor
conductors of heat and electricity. Astatine is radioactive and
is formed during the radioactive decay of other elements, such
as uranium and thorium. Most of its isotopes are very
unstable.
The halogens react with hydrogen to form hydrogen halides.
 H2 + F 2 2HF (hydrogen fluoride)
 H2 + Cl2 2HCl (hydrogen chloride)
 H2 + Br2 2HBr (hydrogen bromide)
 H2 + I 2 2HI (hydrogen iodide)
They are acidic, poisonous gases. Here, the gases are
covalently bonded.
The halogens are very soluble in water, reacting with with to
produce solutions of acids containing H+ and X- ions (where X
stands for any halogen atom).
 HF HF (aq) (hydrofluoric acid)
 HCl HCl (aq) (hydrocloric acid)
 HBr HBr (aq) (hydrobromic acid)
 HI HI (aq) (hydroiodic acid)

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 Grade- IX
Chemistry

The halogens react with alkali metals to form salts. Typically,

when they react with metals from Groups 1 and 2, they form
ions. In case of any alkali metal and halogen:
Alkali metal + Halogen Salt
2M + X2 2MX
Due to the reactivity of the elements (especially fluorine and
chlorine), all the halogens are extremely poisonous vapours
and have to be handled in a fume cupboard. Liquid bromine is
also very corrosive and has to be kept off the skin.
Group 7 – Displacement reactions
A displacement reaction is a chemical reaction in which a
more reactive element replaces a less reactive one in its
compound. The same thing happens when we react a solution
of a halogen with a solution containing halide ions. We can
use these to show the trend in reactivity of halogens-
reactivity decreases down the group.
Look at the reaction below:
2KBr + Cl2 2KCl + Br2
Chlorine is more reactive than bromine and has displaced the
bromine from the solution. That’s why it’s a displacement
reaction. Similarly :
2KI + Br2 2KBr + I2
Bromine is more reactive than iodine and has displaced the
iodine from the solution.

Chapter- 12 The Halogens Page 3

 Grade- IX
Chemistry

But if some less reactive element takes place in a compound

in which a more reactive element is present, none are being
displaced, so there will be no reaction. For example: Bromine
+ potassium chloride solution no reaction

Group 7- Ionic equations and redox reactions

A spectator ion is an ion that is not changed in a chemical
reaction. It is omitted from both the reactant and the reactant
sides when writing ionic equations. For example :
2KBr + Cl2 2KCl + Br2
But if we see in a more broader way :
2K+ + 2Br- + Cl2 2K+ + 2Cl- + Br2
Here, the potassium ion is common from both the sides, so it
is a spectator ion. So, we have omitted it from the equation.
Now,
2Br- + Cl2 2Cl- + Br2
This is called an ionic equation and does not include the
spectator ions. When an ionic compound dissolves in water, it
splits into ions.
Look at the equation again. This is a redox reaction. Bromine
ion loses electrons to turn into a stable molecule (oxidation)
while chlorine ion gains electrons to turn into an ion
(reduction). Here, chlorine is an oxidising agent because it
takes away the electrons from the bromine ion and it itself
gains electrons. NOTE THAT:
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 Grade- IX
Chemistry

 An oxidising agent is something that oxidises something

else by taking electrons from it. It accepts electrons and
it is the one that is reduced in a reaction.
 A reducing agent is something that reduces something
else by giving electrons to it. It loses electrons and it is
the one that is oxidised in a reaction.

Chapter- 12 The Halogens Page 5