What are group 7 elements known as?

Group 7 elements are known as halogens. This term is derived from the Greek words “halo,” meaning salt, and “genes,” meaning to form. Halogens are characterized by their high reactivity, especially with alkali and alkaline earth metals, which form salts when combined with them. The halogens include fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine.

These elements possess seven electrons in their outer electron shell, which makes them highly reactive as they seek to gain one additional electron to achieve a stable octet configuration. This reactivity increases down the group, with fluorine being the most reactive. Each halogen has distinct physical and chemical properties, such as varying states of matter at room temperature and differing colors and boiling points.

The other classifications do not apply to group 7 elements. Alkali metals, for instance, refer to group 1 elements which are characterized by their single outer electron and high reactivity. Metalloids, on the other hand, are elements that exhibit properties intermediate between metals and non-metals, such as silicon and arsenic. Noble gases are group 18 elements that are chemically inert due to having a full outer electron shell, making them very unreactive. Thus, group 7