Bromine: The Liquid Halogen

         Here is a brief history of Bromine: Bromine was discovered in 1826 by Antoine J. Balard in France. Its name is derived from the Greek word meaning “stench” – bromos. One of the compounds of bromine is found in the purple dye of mussels.

         Bromine and Mercury are the only two elements that are liquid at room temperature, and bromine is the only liquid non-metal. And also like Mercury, Bromine is poisonous if ingested. Bromine has an atomic number of 35 and an atomic weight of 79.904. It is in Group 16, period 4, and in the Halogen group.

         Bromine has an atomic figuration of 2:8:18:7. Therefore, it has 7 valence electrons. Here is a picture of its configuration:

         Bromine is a heavy liquid. It is also known for its stench, from which it gets its name. It has a dark brown color, like this (the picture looks a little red, though):

         It is not radioactive, but it is highly reactive, since it is a halogen. The element’s melting point is -7.2º C and its boiling point is 58.78º C. It has 14 isotopes, 12 of them radioactive.

         Bromine has multiple uses. It is used for antiknock in petroleum, for example. It is also used in fumigants, flame proofing agents, water purification compounds, dyes, medicine, and photography.

         Bromine can be bought in its pure form, but there are also ways to attain it from natural sources. One can find bromine in seawater, and can derive it from the water treatment process. By combining sulfuric acid and sodium bromide, one can also extract elemental bromine from the resulting compound.

Sources: Both pictures and many of these facts are thanks to www.webelements.com