key term - Bromine

Definition

Bromine is a dense, reddish-brown liquid element that is part of the halogen group on the periodic table. It is highly reactive and has a wide range of applications, particularly in the chemical industry and in the production of various compounds.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Bromine has an atomic number of 35 and an atomic mass of 79.90 g/mol, making it the third heaviest halogen after iodine and astatine.
2. Bromine is a liquid at room temperature, unlike the other halogens which are gases, due to its higher atomic mass and polarizability.
3. Bromine is a highly reactive element and forms compounds with most other elements, including metals, nonmetals, and noble gases.
4. Bromine is used in the production of various chemicals, including flame retardants, fumigants, and water purification agents.
5. Bromine is found naturally in seawater and some mineral deposits, and it can be extracted from these sources through various industrial processes.

Review Questions

• Explain how the periodic trends of the halogens, including bromine, are reflected in their properties and reactivity.
  • As you move down the halogen group on the periodic table, the atomic radius increases, electronegativity decreases, and ionization energy decreases. These trends result in the halogens becoming less electronegative and more metallic in character, with bromine being more reactive than the lighter halogens like fluorine and chlorine, but less reactive than the heavier halogens like iodine and astatine. This is due to the increased atomic size and decreased electronegativity, which make bromine more willing to lose its outer electrons and form positive ions.
• Describe the unique physical properties of bromine that distinguish it from the other halogens.
  • Bromine is the only halogen that is a liquid at room temperature, unlike the other halogens which are gases. This is due to bromine's higher atomic mass and polarizability, which leads to stronger intermolecular van der Waals forces between bromine molecules. Additionally, bromine has a higher boiling point compared to the lighter halogens, reflecting its increased intermolecular attractions. These physical properties of bromine, such as its liquid state and higher boiling point, are important considerations in its handling, storage, and use in various industrial and chemical applications.
• Analyze the role of bromine in the occurrence, preparation, and properties of the halogens, and how this relates to its position in the periodic table.
  • Bromine's position in the periodic table, as the third member of the halogen group, influences its occurrence, preparation, and properties. Bromine is found naturally in seawater and some mineral deposits, and it can be extracted through various industrial processes, such as electrolysis of brine solutions. The reactivity of bromine, which is higher than the lighter halogens but lower than the heavier halogens, is a key factor in its preparation and use in chemical reactions and compounds. Bromine's unique physical properties, such as its liquid state and higher boiling point, also impact its handling and applications in the chemical industry, where it is used in the production of flame retardants, fumigants, and water purification agents, among other products.

Related terms

Halogens:

The group of five highly reactive nonmetal elements, including fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine, that form salts with metals.

Periodic Trends:

The patterns and predictable changes in the properties of elements as you move across a period (row) or down a group (column) in the periodic table.

Diatomic Molecules:

Molecules composed of two atoms of the same element, such as the halogens (F$_2$, Cl$_2$, Br$_2$, I$_2$, At$_2$).