Why is this element important in everyday life?
The element fluorine may seem to be an element that is uncommon, but as one will see it is used in everyday life.
Until recent times, fluorine compounds were used as a flux, a material that helps molten metal flow compounds containing fluorine are found in all living things from plant tissue to animal bones and blood. Widely found in water and in rocks, fluorspar, often called Blue John, is the most common compound of fluorine and contains beautiful crystals.
Tetrafluoroethylene is a material containing fluorine that has proven very popular. It is a polymer made from an extract of crude oil, ethylene and fluorine. It is also used worldwide for tubes, gaskets, and seals that must not deteriorate. It is also used for making bearings and as a coating on saw blades. Polytetrafluoroethylene is a soft white plastic polymer that virtually nothing sticks to. It is non-reactive with most chemicals, heat resistant, and it is a very good electrical insulator.
One of the most remarkable uses of fluorine has been in drinking water and toothpaste. Fluorides occur naturally in many water supplied and have been added to water supplies. Scientists in the United States were able to show that in areas where there was more fluorine in the water, there was a lower incidence of tooth decay.
Sodium fluoride is used as a poison in pesticides for roaches, rats and other vermin.
One of the freons, dichlorodifluoromethan is used as a refrigerant. It is odorless, nonflammable and nontoxic. Its critical temperature is 111.7 degrees C and critical pressure is 39.4 atm.
Where is this element found in nature?
Fluorine is a tiny atom, and the most reactive of all the elements in the universe, which is why it never occurs in nature on its own. It can only be separated from compounds by using large amounts of electrical energy. The fluorine thus produced is a pale yellow gas, highly poisonous and so corrosive that it is extremely difficult to store. Usually a vessel containing fluorine has to be coated inside with a plastic.
What are the properties of the element?
General Characteristics =
Pale yellow gas, nonmetal, extremely poisonous in elemental form, high corrosive as a gas and as hydrofluoric acid, and exists freely only as a gas.
Atomic Symbol = F
Period Number = 2
Group Number and Family Name = 17, the halogen family
Atomic Number = 9
Atomic Mass = 18.998
Density =1.696 grams/liter at STP
Melting Point = -219.6 degrees C
Boiling Point = -188.1 degrees C
Electron Configuration = 1s22s22p5
Shorthand Notation = [He]2s22p5
Common Reactions = Uranium hexafluoride was used in making the first atomic bomb.
Interesting Information = Thirteenth most abundant element, it gets its name from fluo, from Latin meaning to flow, and most radioactive of all elements.
Who is an angry element?
Don't bother me, not now, what do you want? You want to talk to me? Why would you want to do that? So, you say you want to know what the real fluorine is like? Isn't that obvious? I'm one of the most abundant elements, which one would not want to cross. I'm one of the most radioactive of all elements and I've set out in my lifetime to get revenge. You ask revenge for what, you want to know what, don't you know? Are you stupid or something? All I want for Christmas is one electron not even my two front teeth! I've written Santa Clause for years and years and asked for a single electron for Christmas, but as I suspected he really doesn't have goodwill toward men! I've even asked some of my element friends, but they wouldn't give me a Christmas electron either. I figured my friends would have little peace on earth! Okay, that's enough, I said I've had enough! Can't you tell I'm just an angry element! Bahumbug!
