Which region contains the halogen family of elements

The halogen elements are located in group 17 or VIIA of the periodic table, which is the second-to-last column of the chart. This is a list of elements that belong to the halogen group and a look at the properties that they share in common.

The halogens are the elements in group 17 of the periodic table. This is the next-to-last column of elements on the righthand side of the table.
The halogen elements are fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, astatine, and possibly tennessine.
The halogens are highly reactive nonmetallic elements. They commonly form ionic bonds with metals and covalent bonds with other nonmetals.
The halogens are the only group of elements that include elements in all of the three main states of matter: gases, liquids, and solids.

Depending on who you ask, there are either 5 or 6 halogens. Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine definitely are halogens. Element 117, tennessine, might have some properties in common with the other elements. Even though it is in the same column or group of the periodic table with the other halogens, most scientists believe element 117 behaves more like a metalloid. So little of it has been produced, it's a matter of prediction, not empirical data.

These elements share some common properties that distinguish them from other elements on the periodic table.

They are highly reactive nonmetals.
Atoms of belonging to the halogen group have 7 electrons in their outermost (valence) shell. These atoms need one more electron in order to have a stable octet.
The usual oxidation state of a halogen atom is -1.
Halogens are highly electronegative, with high electron affinities.
The melting and boiling points of the halogens increase as you increase atomic number (as you move down the periodic table).
The elements change their state of matter at room temperature and pressure as you increase atomic number. Fluorine and chlorine are gases. Bromine is a liquid element. Iodine is a solid. Scientists predict tennessine is a solid at room temperature.
The halogens are colorful, even as gases. Fluorine is the palest element, but even as a gas it has a distinct yellow color.

Fluorine is atomic number 9 with element symbol F. At room temperature and pressure, pure fluorine is a pale yellowish gas. But, the element is so reactive it mainly occurs in compounds.
Chlorine is atomic number 17 with element symbol Cl. Under ordinary conditions, chlorine is a yellowish-green gas.
Bromine is element 35 with symbol Br. It is a liquid at room temperature and pressure.
Iodine is element 53 with symbol I. It is a solid under ordinary conditions.
Astatine is atomic number 85 with symbol At. It is the rarest naturally-occurring element in the Earth's crust. Astatine is a radioactive element with no stable isotopes.
Tennessine is element 117 with symbol Ts. It is a synthetic radioactive element.

The lighter halogens occur in living organisms. These are fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine. Of these, chlorine and iodine are essential for human nutrition, although the other elements might also be required in trace amounts.

The halogens are important disinfectants. Chlorine and bromine are used to disinfect water an surfaces. Their high reactivity also makes these elements important components of some types of bleach. Halogens are used in incandescent lamps to make them glow at a higher temperature and with a white color. The halogen elements are important drug components, as they aid drug penetration into tissues.

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In the second column from the right side of the periodic table, you will find Group Seventeen (Group XVII). This column is the home of the halogen family of elements. Who is in this family? The elements included are fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), iodine (I), and astatine (At).
When you look at our descriptions of the elements fluorine and chlorine, you will see that they both have seven electrons in their outer shell. That seven-electron trait applies to all of the halogens. They are all just one electron shy of having full shells. Because they are so close to being happy, they have the trait of combining with many different elements. They are very reactive. You will often find them bonding with metals and elements from Group One of the periodic table. The elements in the column on the left each have one electron that they like to donate.

We've just told you how reactive the halogens are. Not all halogens react with the same intensity or enthusiasm. Fluorine is the most reactive and combines with most elements from around the periodic table. Reactivity decreases as you move down the column. As you learn more about the table, you will find this pattern true for other families. As the atomic number increases, the atoms get bigger. Their chemical properties change just a little bit when compared to the element right above them on the table.

The elements we are talking about in this section are called halogens. When a halogen combines with another element, the resulting compound is called a halide. One of the best examples of a halide is sodium chloride (NaCl). Don't think that the halogens always make ionic compounds and salts. Some halides of the world are a part of molecules with covalent bonds.

Earth Science: Salt of the Earth (NASA/GSFC Video)

The halogens are located on the left of the noble gases on the periodic table. These five toxic, non-metallic elements make up Group 17 of the periodic table and consist of: fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), iodine (I), and astatine (At). Although astatine is radioactive and only has short-lived isotopes, it behaves similar to iodine and is often included in the halogen group. Because the halogen elements have seven valence electrons, they only require one additional electron to form a full octet. This characteristic makes them more reactive than other non-metal groups.

Group 17: Physical Properties of the HalogensIt can be seen that there is a regular increase in many of the properties of the halogens proceeding down group 17 from fluorine to iodine. This includes their melting points, boiling points, intensity of their color, the radius of the corresponding halide ion, and the density of the element. On the other hand, there is a regular decrease in the first ionization energy as we go down this group. As a result, there is a regular increase in the ability to form high oxidation states.
Group 17: Chemical Properties of the HalogensCovers the halogens in Group 17: fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br) and iodine (I). Includes trends in atomic and physical properties, the redox properties of the halogens and their ions, the acidity of the hydrogen halides, and the tests for the halide ions.
Chemistry of Fluorine (Z=9)Fluorine (F) is the first element in the Halogen group (group 17) in the periodic table. Its atomic number is 9 and its atomic weight is 19, and it's a gas at room temperature. It is the most electronegative element, given that it is the top element in the Halogen Group, and therefore is very reactive. It is a nonmetal, and is one of the few elements that can form diatomic molecules (F2).
Chemistry of Chlorine (Z=17)Chlorine is a halogen in group 17 and period 3. It is very reactive and is widely used for many purposes, such as as a disinfectant. Due to its high reactivity, it is commonly found in nature bonded to many different elements.
- The Manufacture of Chlorine
Chemistry of Bromine (Z=35)Bromine is a reddish-brown fuming liquid at room temperature with a very disagreeable chlorine-like smell. In fact its name is derived from the Greek bromos or "stench". It was first isolated in pure form by Balard in 1826. It is the only non-metal that is a liquid at normal room conditions. Bromine on the skin causes painful burns that heal very slowly. It is an element to be treated with the utmost respect in the laboratory.
Chemistry of Iodine (Z=53)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". It was discovered in 1811 by Courtois.
Chemistry of Astatine (Z=85)Astatine is the last of the known halogens and was synthesized in 1940 by Corson and others at the University of California. It 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.

Thumbnail: Chlorine gas in an ampoule. (CC-BY-SA; W. Oelen (http://woelen.homescience.net/science/index.html)).