Fluorine Facts: The Element
Fluorine Facts: The element Fluorine contains 9 protons in its nucleus. It is extremely reactive in both its neutral state and in compounds with other elements. It is the most reactive of all elements. 
Fluorine has only one stable isotope, which is 19-Fluorine. This isotope contains 9 protons and 10 neutrons as shown in the bohr-style atom diagram to the right. Other isotopes with neutron numbers ranging from 5 to 22 have been discovered, but all except 19-Fluorine are unstable and radioactive. The most stable is 18-Fluorine with a half life of just under two hours.The Electron Structure of Fluorine 
As with other elements in this second row of the Periodic Table, Fluorine has 2 shells of electrons. The first shell contains only two electrons resulting in the second, outer shell containing 7 electrons. This gives us the electron dot diagram for fluorine as shown to the left, indicating that it needs just one more electron to fill its outer shell.We can see the detail of the subshell electron structure of Fluorine by putting 9 electrons into the subshell filling pattern which gives us a configuration of 1s2 2s2 2p5. A visual representation of this subshell layering is shown below:
Fluorine Facts: Fluorine Gas, F2 Fluorine gas has the chemical formula F2. It is not found in nature due to its extreme reactivity but it is this reactivity that makes it a desirable industrial chemical. We can easily understand the structure of F2 gas by looking at the lewis dot diagram of atomic Fluorine as seen above. If we take two of these atoms and rotate them, we see that it is possible to slot them together. This gives each Fluorine atom a total of eight electrons in the outer shell, providing some degree of stability. The shared electrons between the two atoms form what is called a covalent bond.
When we replace the pairs of dots with lines, we get the traditional view of Fluorine gas. Note that the structure is actually three dimensional according to vsepr rules, but seeing it in two dimensions makes it easier to understand. Very often Fluorine gas F2 will be shown without the lone pairs around the outside of the atoms. These will be left out, and only the pairs of electrons that actually form bonds are shown. If it is not understood that these lone pairs influence the struvture of the molecule, confusion can arise. A good example is the H2O molecule which is bent like a banana. Unless we consider the lone pairs there seems to be no logic to this structure.
Fluorine Facts: Fluorine In Industry Fluorine is the most electronegative of all elements. This accounts for the extreme reactivity of Fluorine gas; each Fluorine atom wants eight electrons to itself. Each Fluorine atom has the ability to strip electrons from any surrounding substance in order to become the Fluoride ion F- as seen below. This is the most stable state for Fluorine and the only state it is found in in the natural environment.
This reactivity makes it excellent for reacting with and breaking down other compounds. In the microelectronics industry it is used to etch circuit patterns onto Silicon and tungsten compounds. In this case the Fluorine gas is not delivered directly to the material to be etched. It is produced from the breakdown of Nitrogen Trifluoride which has recently been pinpointed as a gas that could become a significant contributor to the greenhouse effect if left unchecked with regard to industrial use. Fluorine is also used in virtually all industries including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, mining, health care and many more. It is used in a vast range of compounds designed to suit the needs of the application it is employed in. Return from Fluorine Facts to The Chemistry or return to the Green Planet home page for more Solar Power Facts.
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