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Fluorine

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  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Geochemistry

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

FormalPara Element Data

Atomic symbol: F

Atomic number: 9

Atomic weight: 18.998 g/mol

Isotopes and abundances: 19F 100 %

1 Atm melting point: −219.67 °C

1 Atm boiling point: −188.11 °C

Common valences: −1

Ionic radii: 130 (III), 131 (IV), and 133 (VI), in pm (coordination number)

Pauling electronegativity: 3.98

First ionization potential: 17.4428 eV

Chondritic (CI) abundance: 60.7 μg.g−1

Silicate earth abundance: two estimates – 18 ± 8 and 25 ± 10 μg.g−1

Continental crust abundance ~ 550 μg.g−1

Oceanic crust abundance 130 ~ 1000 (est. 400) μg.g−1

Seawater abundance: 1.3 μg.g−1

Core abundance: considered as 0

Properties

In its elemental form, fluorine exists as a diatomic molecule of highly toxic, corrosive, pale yellow gas with a pungent smell in ambient conditions. As the most electronegative element, fluorine is reactive and commonly found in nature as ionic compounds bonded to metal cations or hydrogen. Fluorine can dissolve into solution forming F− ions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, Université Blaise Pascal – CNRS, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Kenneth T. Koga & Estelle F. Rose-Koga

Authors
  1. Kenneth T. Koga
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  2. Estelle F. Rose-Koga
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Kenneth T. Koga or Estelle F. Rose-Koga .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth, Cornell University Department of Earth, Ithaca, New York, USA

    William M. White

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Koga, K.T., Rose-Koga, E.F. (2016). Fluorine. In: White, W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geochemistry. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39193-9_102-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39193-9_102-1

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