What Is Fluorine?
QUICK ANSWER
Fluorine is a chemical element with atomic number 9 and the symbol F. It's a pale yellow, highly reactive gas that's the most chemically aggressive element on the periodic table. Fluorine compounds are used in toothpaste, drinking water fluoridation, non-stick coatings like Teflon, and pharmaceutical drugs.
Fluorine has the strongest pull on electrons of any element, which makes it the most chemically reactive substance known. Pure fluorine attacks almost everything it touches, including glass and water. But fluorine compounds are remarkably useful and common: the fluoride in your toothpaste, the Teflon coating on pans, the refrigerant in air conditioners, and many modern pharmaceuticals all rely on the same fierce element that's nearly impossible to isolate.
Where is fluorine on the periodic table?
Fluorine has atomic number 9, the symbol F, and sits at the top of group 17 of the periodic table among the halogens. Its atomic mass is about 19. Only one stable isotope exists naturally, F-19. Fluorine was first isolated in pure form in 1886 by French chemist Henri Moissan, who won the 1906 Nobel Prize for the achievement. Many chemists before him died or were poisoned trying to isolate this incredibly reactive element. Fluorine is relatively abundant in Earth's crust, mostly as the mineral fluorite (calcium fluoride).
Why is fluorine so reactive?
Fluorine's extreme reactivity comes from its electron configuration. With seven electrons in its outer shell, fluorine needs only one more to achieve a stable configuration, and its small atomic size means the nucleus pulls electrons very strongly. This makes fluorine the most electronegative element on the periodic table. Fluorine reacts with almost every other element, including noble gases like xenon, which were long thought to be completely unreactive. The element ignites spontaneously with hydrogen, attacks glass, and is so corrosive it must be stored in specially treated nickel or Teflon containers.
What is fluorine used for?
Fluorine compounds have wide applications even though pure fluorine is rarely used directly. Toothpaste contains sodium fluoride or sodium monofluorophosphate to strengthen tooth enamel. Municipal water fluoridation reduces tooth decay. Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) coats nonstick cookware and is used in industrial seals. Refrigerants based on fluorocarbons run air conditioners and refrigerators, though older ones (CFCs) are banned because they damaged the ozone layer. Many modern pharmaceuticals contain fluorine atoms to improve drug stability. Uranium enrichment uses uranium hexafluoride gas.
Is fluorine dangerous?
Pure fluorine gas is extremely dangerous, causing severe chemical burns and lung damage with even brief exposure. Hydrofluoric acid is uniquely hazardous because it penetrates skin and attacks bones, causing deep tissue damage that often isn't felt immediately. Many fluorine compounds, however, are perfectly safe at normal concentrations. Sodium fluoride in toothpaste and water at proper doses prevents cavities without harm. Teflon is biologically inert. The danger varies enormously depending on the specific compound and concentration, with pure fluorine being one of the most dangerous chemicals on Earth.
Fluorine is the angry element that quietly improves daily life. The most chemically reactive substance on the periodic table also produces the toothpaste that prevents cavities, the coating that keeps eggs from sticking, and many of the drugs that fight modern diseases. Few elements have such a sharp contrast between their raw form and useful compounds.
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