Of the reactive nonmetals, nitrogen is the most abundant in the Earth’s atmosphere, making up about 78% of the air we breathe. Reactive nonmetals are widely distributed in the Earth’s crust and atmosphere, and they can be found in various forms such as gases, liquids, and solids. Its name is derived from the Greek word “iodes,” which means violet-colored.

Iodine, a purple-black solid that sublimes into a violet gas, was discovered in 1811 by French chemist Bernard Courtois. Its name is derived from the Greek word “bromos,” which means stench, due to its strong and unpleasant odor. Chlorine, a greenish-yellow gas with a pungent odor, was discovered in 1774 by Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele, while sulfur was known to ancient civilizations and was referred to as brimstone.īromine, a reddish-brown liquid that evaporates easily to form a brownish gas, was discovered in 1825-1826 by French chemist Antoine-Jérôme Balard. Selenium, a nonmetal with important applications in electronics, was discovered in 1817 by Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius. Phosphorus, another important reactive nonmetal, was discovered in 1669 by German alchemist Hennig Brand. Fluorine, the most reactive nonmetal, was first isolated in 1886 by French chemist Henri Moissan, who used electrolysis to extract it from a mixture of hydrofluoric acid and potassium fluoride. Oxygen, one of the most important reactive nonmetals due to its role in respiration and combustion, was discovered in the late 18 th century by several scientists independently, including Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele and English chemist Joseph Priestley. Nitrogen was discovered as a distinct element in 1772 by Scottish physician and chemist Daniel Rutherford. Carbon, another important reactive nonmetal, has been known since ancient times, with its name derived from the Latin word “carbo,” meaning charcoal.

Hydrogen, the lightest and most abundant element in the universe, was discovered in 1766 by English chemist Henry Cavendish. However, it wasn’t until the late 18 th and early 19 th centuries that several of the reactive nonmetals were discovered and identified as distinct elements. Reactive nonmetals have been known since ancient times, with some of the elements, such as carbon and sulfur, being used by humans in various applications. Iodine is a purple-black solid that sublimes into a violet gas and is commonly used as a disinfectant, a catalyst, and in the production of pharmaceuticals.Įnglish chemist Henry Cavendish, who discovered reactive nonmetal hydrogen | source: Wikipedia Sulfur is a nonmetal with a distinct odor and is used in the production of sulfuric acid, fertilizers, and rubber products. Hydrogen, for example, is the lightest and most abundant element in the universe, and it is commonly used as fuel for rockets and as a reactant in chemical reactions. Some reactive nonmetals have unique and notable properties. Reactive nonmetals also have important uses in electronics, such as in the production of semiconductors.

Carbon is the basis of all known life on Earth and is also used in various industrial processes. For example, oxygen is essential for respiration and combustion, while nitrogen is a key component of fertilizers and is used in the production of ammonia. Reactive nonmetals have many important applications in various fields, as well as interesting properties. Fluorine is the most reactive nonmetal and can react with almost all other elements to form compounds.

One well-known example of a reactive nonmetal is fluorine, which was discovered by French chemist Henri Moissan in 1886. They tend to be brittle and are typically found as gases or soft solids at room temperature. These elements are characterized by their inability to conduct heat and electricity and low melting and boiling points.Ĭompared to metals, reactive nonmetals have very different properties. This group includes 11 elements, namely hydrogen (H), carbon (C), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), fluorine (F), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), chlorine (Cl), selenium (Se), bromine (Br), and iodine (I). Reactive nonmetals are a group of chemical elements that are located in the upper right-hand corner of the periodic table.

Mn element nonmetal