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fluorine [F]
From the Latin fluere meaning flow. First identified in 1771 by Karl W Scheele. First isolated in 1886 by French chemist F Henri Moissan*
* awarded Nobel prize in chemistry in 1906
Occurrence:
-> found in fluorspar, cryolite & other minerals
Characteristics:
1) nonmetallic halogen element
2) isolated as a yellowish flammable irritating toxic corrosive diatomic gas with characteristic odor
3) most reactive element
a) reacts with nearly all substances
b) reacts with water to produce oxygen & ozone
Uses:
1) essential trace element for mammals
2) flourine & its compounds are used in
a) producing uranium
b) > 100 commercial fluorochemicals
3) fluorocarbons were used in air-conditioning, but have been phased out after it was discovered that they damaged the earth's ozone layer
Related
fluoride (F-)
periodic table
Specific
fluorine-18
General
halogen
Properties
SIZE: AW = 18.998
atomic number
VALUE: 9
VALENCE: HE 2S2 2P5
Database Correlations
PUBCHEM correlations
References
- Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, Miriam-
Webster Inc. Springfield, MA 1990
- Chemical & Engineering News, Sept 8, 2003