How can you identify halides?

A halide is a compound made up of one positively charged, less electronegative atom and one halogen atom (any element in group 7).

An alkyl halide, for instance, is a substance with the general formula:

A metal (Group 1 or 2 element) and a halogen are the components of a metal halide; table salt (NaCl) is an excellent example of a metal halide.

Halides can be identified through various chemical tests, including the silver nitrate test, which forms a precipitate with halides (chlorides, bromides, or iodides). Additionally, halides can be detected using the flame test, where different halides produce characteristic flame colors when burned in a flame. Other methods include the use of specific reagents that react with halides to form distinctive products, such as the sodium thiosulfate test for chlorides or the cerium(IV) sulfate test for bromides.