Fluorine

Fluorine By Emma Schwoerer and Ruth Nieh toc media type="custom" key="7987242" align="center"

Intro

 Fluorine is a member of Group 17 on the periodic table and is a Halogen. Fluorine is a pale yellow, corrosive gas with 7 electrons in its valence shell making it extremely reactive ([|Winter]). In fact, it is the most reactive out of all the elements due to its high electronegativity (See 'Chemistry/Physics'). Finely divided metals, glass, ceramics, carbon, and even water burn in fluorine with a bright flame. Fluorine is most commonly found in toothpaste and city water supplies as Fluoride. Fluorine alone is very dangerous and during its discovery, there were many tragic accidents and some resulted in death.

= = = = =**History** =

Fluorine is commonly found in a mineral called Fluorspar, and was first mentioned by Georgius Agricola in 1529 when he used it as a flux (to increase a melted material’s flow rate). Because Fluorine was used as a flux, the name came from the Latin word “fluere” ([|bbc]) which means “to flow”. 

Schwandhard discovered the ability to etch glass with Fluorspar that had been exposed to acid in 1670 ([|Fluorine History]). Many chemists -such as Thenard, Davy, Lavoisier, Davy and Scheele- preformed experiments with hydrofluoric acid, some of them ending tragically. In fact, elemental fluorine was so dangerous that it was originally referred to as "the gas of Lucifer". In 1869, chemist George Gore of England managed to use an electrolysis process to produce a small amount of Fluorine. Unfortunately, the Fluorine gas mixed with some Hydrogen gas, creating an explosion which he barely escaped. However, other scientists -including Jerome Nickels and Paulin Louyet- were not as lucky and lost their lives from poisoning while trying to isolate Fluorine ([|Lateral]). In 1886 -after 74 years of failed attempts- a French chemist named Henri Moissan (who later won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1906) became the first person to successfully isolate fluorine ([|Hammond]). Due to his experiments with Fluorine, Moissan was poisoned several times, resulting in a shorter lifespan ([|Lateral]). The first time Fluorine was commercially produced was during World War 2 when Uranium Hexafluoride (UF6) was used to seperate two isotopes of Uranium (U-235 and U-238) to make atomic bombs( [|Fluorine History] ).

=**Economics** = 

 Economically, Fluorine is mostly used in toothpastes and at dentist's offices. The ion Fluoride has shown to be very useful in killing germs and bacteria which cause tooth decay as long as it is used in small amounts. In addition to helping to fight tooth decay, Fluorine was used during World War II by the United States of America. Fluorine was used during World War II for the production of uranium hexafluoride which was used to separate uranium isotopes. The radioactive uranium was used for the construction of the first atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Because of uranium hexafluoride's great success, uranium refining for nuclear energy is still one of the major uses for the element Fluorine([|Meiers]). Fluorine was once used in air conditioners and refrigeration systems but have been phased out due to the damage they were causing to the ozone layer ([|Gagnon]). Also, hydrofluoric acid is often used to etch the glass used to make lightbulbs([|Hammond]). It currently costs around $190 for 100 grams of Fluorine ( [|'Fluorine']).

=<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Environment =

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Because of its high level of reactiveness with other elements, it is impossible to find pure fluorine in nature. Therefore, Fluorine, when found in nature, is always found as the anion Fluoride ( F − ) (<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">[|Fluorine Geological] ).

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Fluorine is found in nat ure mostly in: <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">-Fluorspar (a mineral composed of CaF2(Calcium Floride)) <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">-Cryolite (Na2AlF6) <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">-Fluorapatite (a mineral composed of Ca5(PO4)3F (Calcium Halophosphate))

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Fluorine can be isolated by using Moissan's method of extraction- passing an electric current through a mixture of potassium hydrogen fluoride and hydrogen fluoride. ([|Fluorine Chemical])

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The following chart shows the amounts of Fluorine found in different locations. The abundances are measured based on the parts per billion (ppb) ([|Fluorine Geological]). As seen in the chart, Fluorine is mostly found in crystal rocks and minerals. South America, Mexico, Mongolia, and China all produce fluorine minerals. America previously mine small amounts of Fluorspar, but the last mine closed in 1995 <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> and the United States now have their Fluorine minerals imported instead (<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">[|Fluorine Chemical] ).


 * ** Location ** || ** ppb by weight ** || ** ppb by atoms ** ||
 * Universe || 400 || 30 ||
 * Sun || 500 || 30 ||
 * Meteorite (carbonaceous) || 89000 || 96000 ||
 * Crystal rocks || 540000 || 590000 ||
 * Sea water || 1300 || 420 ||
 * Stream || 100 || 5 ||
 * Human || 37000 || 12000 ||

=<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 25px; line-height: 37px;">Health =

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Fluorine alone is extremely dangerous and poisonous to human beings and has killed people during its discovery and study ('[|Fluorine']). It was once used in air conditioners and refrigeration systems but have been phased out due to the damage they were causing to the ozone layer ([|Gagnon]). Fluorine is only beneficial to human health as the ion Fluoride and Sodium Fluoride which is used as a supplement in city water supplies and toothpaste to prevent cavities. It has been proven to strengthen teeth and resist tooth decay which makes it very beneficial to dentists. Fluorine is sometimes combined with other elements so that it will no longer be reactive and toxic to humans and can be used in medical products, such as antibiotics.

=<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 140%;">Chemistry/Physics =

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; font-weight: normal; line-height: 25px;">Fluorine is the lightest element in the 17th group called the Halogens. It has the atomic number 9 and <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px;"> an atomic mass of 18.998404 amu. It is a yellowish, brown, toxic non-metal with a density of 1.70g/L ( <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">[|Chemical]). Fluorine boils at -306.652 °F and its melting point is -363.31598 °F ([|Bentor]). It is the most electronegative element (3.98), making it react very easily with other elements, especially Neon, Helium, and Argon ([|Interesting]). Its electron configuration is 1s2 2s2 2p5 and has 7 valence electrons.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">There are several Fluorine isotopes. F-19 is the most commonly found isotope and the only isotope of Fluorine that is stable, meaning that typically there are 10 neutrons and 9 electrons and protons in each Fluorine atom. The second most stable isotope is the radioactive isotope F-18 which has a half-life of approximately 1.8 hours ([|Bentor]). The decay modes vary for each of the different isotopes. There is decay through proton emission, electron capture, beta-minus decay, beta-minus decay with delayed neutron emission, and neutron emission ([|Gagnon]).
 * ~ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Isotope ||~ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Atomic Mass ||~ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Half-Life ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F14 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">14.036 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">No Data Available ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F15 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">15.018 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">1 MeV ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F16 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">16.0115 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">40 keV ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F17 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">17.0021 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">64.49 seconds ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F18 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">18.0009 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">109.77 minutes ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F19 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">18.9984 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Stable ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F20 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">20. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">11 seconds ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F21 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">21. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">4.158 seconds ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F22 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">22.003 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">4.23 seconds ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F23 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">23.0036 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">2.23 seconds ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F24 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">24.0081 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">0.34 seconds ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F25 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">25.0121 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">59 ms ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F26 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">26.02 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">No Data Available ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F27 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">27.027 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">>200 ns ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F28 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">28.036 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">No Data Available ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">F29 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">29.043 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">>200 ns ||

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; line-height: 25px;">Fluorine is the most electronegative element, causing it also to be the most reactive ([|Hammond]). This video shows how Fluorine reacts with other elements.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 40px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 60px;"> ﻿ media type="youtube" key="RkomnTbPLNc" height="390" width="640" = = = = =<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 140%;">Interesting Fact﻿s =

1. The name "Fluorine" came from the Latin verb "fluere" (to flow). 2. Fluorine is the 13th most common element in the Earth's crust at 0.06%. 3. Fluorine is one of the few elements that is able to form compounds with Xenon ([|Xenon]).

= = =<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 140%;">References =

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;">"BBC - H2g2 - The Elements: Names and Origins - F-N." // BBC - Homepage //. 10 Mar. 2005. Web. 07 Jan. 2011. <[]>.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Bentor, Yinon. Chemical Element.com - Fluorine. Jan. 7, 2011 <[]>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;">"Chemical Elements by Density: Quick Chemistry Facts." // Patents and Inventions //. Oct. 2007. Web. 07 Jan. 2011. <[]>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;">"Fluorine, Chemical Element - Overview, Discovery and Naming, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Occurrence in Nature, Isotopes." // Chemistry: Foundations and Applications //. Web. 07 Jan. 2011. <[]>.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"Fluorine." Chemicool Periodic Table. Chemicool, n.d. Web. 3 Jan 2011. <[]>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;">"Fluorine | Geological Information." // WebElements Periodic Table of the Elements //. Web. 07 Jan. 2011. <[]>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;">"Fluorine History." // Chemical Periodic Table //. 21 Jan. 2006. Web. 07 Jan. 2011. <[]>.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Gagnon, Steve. "The Element: Fluorine." It's Elemental!. Jefferson Lab, n.d. Web. 3 Jan 2011. <[]>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;">Hammond, C. R. "Fluorine." // The Third Millennium Online! // Ed. David R. Lide. Web. 07 Jan. 2011. <[]>.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"Henri Moissan - Biography." Nobelprize.org. Web. 06 Jan. 2011. < [] >.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;">"Interesting Facts about Fluorine | Short Interesting Articles | Interesting Articles and Interesting Facts." // Short Interesting Articles //. Web. 07 Jan. 2011. <[]>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;">"Lateral Science - Fluorine, Tiger of Chemistry." // Lateral Science by Roger Curry //. Web. 07 Jan. 2011. <http://www.lateralscience.co.uk/Fluorine/Fluorine.html>.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Meiers, Peter. "The discovery of fluoride and fluorine." History of Fluorine. N.p., 16 Oct 2010. Web. 4 Jan 2011. <[]>.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Winter, Mark. "Essential Information." Fluorine. WebElements, 2010. Web. 3 Jan 2011. <[]>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;">"Xenon." // ALL about the Periodic Tables //. Web. 07 Jan. 2011. <[]>.