Final answer:
The most chemically active non-metals belong to the halogens, which are in Group 17 of the periodic table. These elements, such as fluorine and chlorine, are very reactive due to their desire to gain an additional electron and achieve a stable electron configuration.
Step-by-step explanation:
The family that contains the most chemically active non-metals is the halogens. Halogens, which are found in Group 17 of the periodic table, include fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), iodine (I), and astatine (At).
These elements are highly reactive because they have one vacancy in their outermost electron shell, making them eager to accept an extra electron to achieve a stable electronic configuration similar to the inert noble gases in Group 18.
In contrast, alkali metals (Group 1) are the most reactive metals and are known to donate their single outer electron readily.
Noble gases (Group 18) are the least reactive non-metals due to their complete electron shells, which make them inert. While the transition metals (Groups 3-12) show various degrees of reactivity, they are not as reactive as alkali metals or halogens.