Fluorine+2

=**Fluorine**= By Ben McNaboe



**Element Abbreviation: F**

 * Chemical Characteristics :Fluorine is a corrosive gas. It reacts with most all organic and inorganic substances found on earth. It has a small atomic mass, yet is the most electronegative and chemically reactive element known. It is so reactive that glass, metals, and even water burn with a bright flame when paired with Fluorine gas.**

Where Fluorine is found in Nature : Fluorine is found in nature in the mineral fluorite. The main mining areas for this mineral are China, Eastern Europe, and Mexico.** **Fluorine also exists naturally in the Earth's crust. Here it can be found in rocks and clay where it is the 13th most present element in the crust.**
 * Physical Characteristics : Fluorine, in crystal form, is a pale yellow-brown color as seen above. The element itself has a molar mass of 11.20 cm3.
 * How Flourine is recovered and purified : In order to produce** **Fluorine for medical, dental, and industrial use, the electrolysis of hydrogen fluoride in the presence of potassium fluoride** **must first be achieved. This is usually done in an industrial setting such as the one seen below.**




 * How Flourine is used :** **Flourine has an extremely wide range of uses. Most commonly, it is used in a dental and medical setting. It has also been used in industrial settings for the production of other elements and gases. In a medical setting,** **Flourine finds its way into anestestia and many anti-biotics (commonly anti-depressents).** **Flourine has also been used in processes in the production of semiconductors and flat panel displays.**


 * Products : Since** **Flourine is everwhere, a lot of food and water products already have small amounts of the element in it. However, products that are most commonly enhanced with** **Flourine are toothpaste, floss, and water for its positive effects on tooth enamel.**




 * Human Health :** **Fluorine is everywhere! It can be found in small amounts in air, water, and almost all the foods we eat. It can also be found in larger amounts in some types of tea and shellfish. Because of this, humans are constantly taking in** **Fluorine. In fact, Fluorine is essential to our survival. It helps with bone strength and in some areas is even added to drinking water because of its positive effects on tooth enamel. However, exposure to the extremely toxic** **Fluorine gas is dangerous. In very low portions, the gas can quickly cause sever eye and lung irritation.**