Why is this element important in everyday life?
Flourine is consisted in a compound known as Fluorite(Calcium fluoride). Fluorite is a blue, yellow, and green crystallike mineral. This compound is known as Blue John in the shape of beautiful cubic crystals that can be scratched with a knife. Resins, a natural or synthetic polymer, contains fluoride. F- is fluoride. Fluorides in water sources prevent tooth decay. It is also a constituent of toothpaste for the same reason. Fluorochloro hydrocarbons are used extensively in air conditioning and refridgeration. Hydrofluoric acid is extensively used for etching the glass of light bulbs.
Where is this element found in nature?
Fluorine never occurs in nature on its own.
What are the properties of the element?
General Characteristics =
The element fluorine is a pale yellow gas at room temperature. It is a nonmetal and the most reactive element. Fluorine gas is extremely corrosive and toxic. This element has a characteristic pungent odor, detectable in concentrations as low as 20 ppb, which is below the safe working level. Exposure to this may cause eye and lung irritation. Metal fluorides are very toxic to where orgainic fluorides are much less toxic and are often quite harmless.
Atomic Symbol = F
Period Number = 2
Group Number and Family Name = 17, Halogen
Atomic Number = 9
Atomic Mass = 18.998u
Density = 1.696 g/cm3
Melting Point = -219.6 degrees Celsius (53.53 Kelvin)
Boiling Point =-188.1 degrees Celsius (85.03 Kelvin)
Electron Configuration = 1s22s22p5
Shorthand Notation =[He] 2s22p5
Common Reactions = reacts will practically all organic and inorganic substances. Finely divided metals, glass, ceramics, carbon, and even water burn in fluorine with a bright flame.
Interesting Information = 13th most abundant element, composes .07% of the earth's crust, . Fluorine consists in approximately 30 ppb (parts per billion; 1 billion = 109 by atoms in the universe, 30 ppb by atoms in the sun, 96,000 ppb by atoms in a meteorite, 590,000 ppb by atoms in crustal rocks, 420 ppb by atoms in sea water, 5 ppb by atoms in a stream, 12,000 ppb by atoms in a Human.
Who is Florence?
Florence was going on a date with her boyfriend Frankie. They were going to the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet at a local restaurant, Pete's Pig Roast and Barbeque. They arrived at the restaurant at approximately 8:00 P.M. on a humid mid-summer night. The couple was then seated next to the window in the diner. The waiter brought out the first dish along with a glass of house wine. Florence placed a napkin across her chest. She started pounding the pork right down her throat with the all-famous sauce slopping all over her napkin and across her face. Frankie was gently digging in unlike Florence. Florence began with her second and third plates. Florence downed those in a few minutes. Florence was given her fourth and fifth dishes, which were also quickly eaten. Florence had set a new world record with the most pound of pork eaten at a total of 36 pounds and she wasn't even finished yet. Everyone got up and began to watch Florence, "The Hog" devour the meat. The chefs quickly began to run out of food. Florence had eaten the restaurant out of 3 weeks of food and the cost of the buffet was $23.99. The restaurant had to close its diner down for several weeks until they were able to stock up on food and had to raise its prices. Pete's Pig Roast and Barbeque never had a All-You-Can-Eat Buffet again. All thanks to the world record holder with 56 pounds of pork.
