Bromine
🔥 In Your World
Bromine is one of only two elements (the other being mercury) that is a liquid at room temperature. It's a dense, reddish-brown liquid that readily evaporates into a similarly colored gas with a strong, unpleasant odor. Its most significant use is in flame retardants, chemicals added to furniture, electronics, and textiles to make them less flammable.
📖 The Discovery Story
Bromine was discovered independently by two chemists, Carl Jacob Löwig in 1825 and Antoine Jérôme Balard in 1826. Balard's work was published first, so he is generally given credit for the discovery. He isolated it from the ash of seaweed found in the salt marshes of Montpellier, France. The name "bromine" comes from the Greek word brómos, meaning "stench," a fitting name for its sharp and disagreeable smell.
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Liquid |
| Melting Point | -7.2 °C / 19 °F |
| Boiling Point | 58.8 °C / 137.8 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [Ar] 3d¹⁰4s²4p⁵ |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.00024% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
Bromine is highly toxic and corrosive. The liquid can cause severe chemical burns on skin contact, and its vapor is extremely irritating to the eyes, nose, and respiratory system. It must be handled with extreme caution in a well-ventilated fume hood, using appropriate personal protective equipment like gloves and goggles.