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What happens when an alkali metal reacts with halogen?

What happens when an alkali metal reacts with halogen?

Exposing an alkali metal to a halogen will cause an extremely exothermic reaction that results in an ionic salt. Almost every salt of an alkali metal is highly soluble in water. They form conducting solutions, proving their ionic nature.

Why do alkali metals and halogens react so strongly?

The number of electrons in the outermost shell of an atom determines its reactivity. Halogens are highly reactive because they readily gain an electron to fill their outermost shell. Alkali metals are highly reactive because they readily lose the single electron in their outermost shell.

When halogens bond with alkali metals What do they form?

The term “halogen” means “salt-former” because these elements will readily react with alkali metal and alkaline earth metals to form halide salts. The halogens all have the general electron configuration ns 2 np 5 , giving them seven valence electrons.

Do halogens form covalent bonds?

Halogens form covalent and ionic bonds. Halogens form covalent bonds with non-metals. In covalent bonding, atoms share electrons.

Why do halogens react in similar ways?

Atoms of group 7 elements all have seven electrons in their outer shell. This means that the halogens all have similar chemical properties .

Why do halogens become more reactive up the group?

The halogens are located on the left of the noble gases on the periodic table. 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.

Why do halogens form covalent bonds?

Explanation: Halogens, the elements in group 17/VIIA, have seven valence electrons. They need one more electron to achieve a full valence shell with eight electrons, which is referred to as an octet. Covalent bonding, in which atoms share electrons from their valence shells, allows the halogens to form covalent bonds.

Why do halogens tend to attract electrons in bonds?

Due to their high effective nuclear charge, halogens are highly electronegative. Therefore, they are highly reactive and can gain an electron through reaction with other elements.

Why do alkali metals lose an electron and halogens gain an electron?

The alkali metals will lose an electron to resemble the next lowest noble gas; thus, all the alkali metals form +1 ions. K loses an electron so that it will have the same electron configuration as Ne. On the other side of the periodic table elements gain electrons to resemble the next higher noble gas.

Why do alkali metals become more reactive down the group?

The reactivity of Group 1 elements increases as you go down the group because: the outer electron gets further from the nucleus as you go down the group. the attraction between the nucleus and outer electron gets weaker as you go down the group – so the electron is more easily lost.