Periodic TableAll elementsFluorine
No. 009
F
18.998 u
Element · Halogen

Fluorine

Fluorine (氟, symbol F) is chemical element number 9, a Halogen in period 2, group 17 of the periodic table, with a standard atomic weight of about 18.998. Most electronegative element. Pale yellow gas, highly reactive and dangerous in elemental form.

Period 2Group 17[He] 2s² 2p⁵

Properties

Atomic number9
SymbolF
Atomic mass18.998 u
CategoryHalogen
Period2
Group17
Electron configuration[He] 2s² 2p⁵
Electronegativity3.98
Covalent radius57 pm
Density0.001696 g/cm³
Melting point53.53 K
Boiling point85.03 K
DiscoveryHenri Moissan, 1886

Overview

Most electronegative element. Pale yellow gas, highly reactive and dangerous in elemental form. Element 9, Fluorine (F), is a Halogen found in period 2, group 17. As a halogen it is a reactive nonmetal that readily gains one electron to form a −1 ion.

It has the configuration [He] 2s² 2p⁵ and an electronegativity near 3.98; its 7 outer-shell electrons drive its bonding. Under standard conditions it exists as a gas (a very low melting point); it melts near 53.53 K (-219.6 °C), boils near 85.03 K (-188.1 °C), has a density around 0.001696 g/cm³.

It is widely used in Industrial Gas and Medical / Pharma. On the safety side, it carries a high hazard rating. It was first described by Henri Moissan in 1886. The periodic trends guide explains the underlying patterns.

Electron shells

F9

Electrons per shell: 2 · 7

Main uses

Hazard

HighToxic, Corrosive

Compounds containing Fluorine

No compounds in this knowledge base contain Fluorine yet.

Data sources

Atomic mass uses IUPAC (CIAAW) standard atomic weights; the covalent radius is from Cordero et al. (2008). Verify on the RSC Periodic Table, PubChem and Wikipedia. Educational reference only.