The scientific name given to the group seven elements is ‘Halogens.’
Halogens are a group of chemical elements that occupy Group 17 of the periodic table. This group includes five non-metal elements: fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), iodine (I), and astatine (At). The name ‘halogen’ comes from the Greek words ‘halos’, meaning salt, and ‘genes’, meaning to produce or generate. This is fitting, as halogens are known for their ability to form salts when they react with metals.
Halogens are characterized by their high reactivity, especially with alkali and alkaline earth metals, leading to the formation of ionic compounds. They exist in different physical states at room temperature: fluorine and chlorine are gases, bromine is a liquid, and iodine is a solid. Astatine, being the rarest and least stable of the group, has limited practical applications but is included for completeness.