why can't halogens occur in elemental state in nature?

hi everyone...
i read in my textbook that halogens cannot exist in elemental state in nature because of their high reactivity. please correct me in the following conclusions i drew if i'm wrong: 1. their high reactivity is due to their electronic structure(ns^2 np^5) 2. therefore we can only find halogens in salts ( or connected to a H+). Am I right or have I missed something?

I'd like to ask something elso too: Last week in the lab we used a reagents which where labeled on their bottles as : Cl2, I2. When we write/say Cl2 or I2 don't we mean that they are in elemental state? Probably not...but then what state are they considered to be in? Also how do we symbolize Chloride or Iodide in their elemental state? :roll:

Well...thanks in advance!

[guanine]

i read in my textbook that halogens cannot exist in elemental state in nature because of their high reactivity.

I'm pretty sure that's correct.

Last week in the lab we used a reagents which where labeled on their bottles as : Cl2, I2. When we write/say Cl2 or I2 don't we mean that they are in elemental state?

I'm also pretty sure that those ARE in elemental state. Also you used them in a lab, so they weren't found in nature. :wink:

guanine

[RobJim]

Chloride cannot be in it's elemental state because it's an ion. The neutral element is chlorine.