Which group tends to form salts with other elements?

• A. Noble Gases
• B. Halogens
• C. Chalcogens
• D. Transition Elements

Answer: (B)

Salts form when a nonmetal accepts electrons to become a negatively charged ion and a metal donates electrons to become a positively charged ion, then these ions attract to each other. The group that tends to form salts with other elements is the halogens because they are highly electronegative and readily gain one electron to achieve a noble-gas configuration. In reactions with metals, halogens become halide ions (for example, Cl−, F−, Br−, I−), which easily pair with metal cations to produce a wide variety of salts such as sodium chloride and potassium iodide. Noble gases are very unreactive and seldom form salts under normal conditions. Chalcogens do form many oxide and sulfide salts, but their tendency to form salts with a broad range of elements isn’t as universal as that of halogens. Transition elements form a lot of compounds and complex ions as well, including salts, but the characteristic broad formation of simple ionic salts with metals is most typical of halogens.