The group 17 elements of the periodic table are called halogens, which comes from the Greek words ‘hals’ meaning salt and ‘genes’ meaning to generate. This name is fitting because halogens are known for their ability to form salts when they react with metals. For example, when sodium (a metal) reacts with chlorine (a halogen), they form sodium chloride, or table salt.
Halogens consist of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine. These elements have similar properties: they are highly reactive, especially with alkali metals and alkaline earth metals. Their reactivity stems from their electron configurations, as they each have seven electrons in their outer shell and strive to gain one more to achieve a stable octet configuration.
In summary, the term ‘halogen’ reflects their nature of forming salts and highlights their chemical behavior, which is primarily characterized by their reactivity and formation of ionic compounds.