Chapter 8, Problem 8.125QP

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The physical characteristics of astatine, the last member of Group 7A has to be described. The products of the reaction between sodium astatide and sulfuric acid has to be predicted.

Concept Introduction:

Valence electrons are outer shell electrons that take part in a chemical bond formation of an atom.

The elements with same valence electrons have similar chemical and physical properties and are placed in the same group in periodic table.

Group 7A in the periodic table contains 7 valence electrons and the outer electronic configuration of halogens is ${\text{ns}}^{\text{2}}{\text{np}}^5$. Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine and astatine are the halogens. Down the group, the melting and boiling point increases for halogens.

Chemical equation is the representation of a chemical reaction, in which the reactants and products of the reactions are represented left and right side of an arrow respectively by using their respective chemical formulas.

Reactant of a chemical reaction is the substrate compounds or the compounds which undergo a chemical reaction.

Product of a chemical reaction is the produced compounds or the compounds formed after a chemical reaction. 

Balanced chemical equation of a reaction is written according to law of conservation of mass.