Advertisement

Advertisement

fluorine

[ floor-een, -in, flawr-, flohr- ]

noun

, Chemistry.
  1. the most reactive nonmetallic element, a pale-yellow, corrosive, toxic gas that occurs combined, especially in fluorite, cryolite, phosphate rock, and other minerals. : F; : 18.9984; : 9.


fluorine

/ ˈflʊəriːn; ˈflʊərɪn /

noun

  1. a toxic pungent pale yellow gas of the halogen group that is the most electronegative and reactive of all the elements, occurring principally in fluorspar and cryolite: used in the production of uranium, fluorocarbons, and other chemicals. Symbol: F; atomic no: 9; atomic wt: 18.9984032; valency: 1; density: 1.696 kg/m³; relative density: 1.108; freezing pt: –219.62°C; boiling pt: –188.13°C
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

fluorine

/ flrēn′ /

  1. A pale-yellow, poisonous, gaseous element of the halogen group. It is highly corrosive and is used to separate certain isotopes of uranium and to make refrigerants and high-temperature plastics. It is also added in fluoride form to the water supply to prevent tooth decay. Atomic number 9; atomic weight 18.9984; melting point −223°C; boiling point −188.14°C; specific gravity of liquid 1.108 (at boiling point); valence 1.
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of fluorine1

First recorded in 1805–15; fluor(ic) + -ine 1
Discover More

Compare Meanings

How does fluorine compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Discover More

Example Sentences

The team first sought to eliminate potential toxic elements such as fluorine and chlorine and metals such as zinc and iron from the candidate ILs.

A team led by Yiyun Cheng at East China Normal University in Shanghai aims to amplify this effect by replacing hydrogen atoms in the lipid chain with fluorine atoms.

One common class of forever chemicals are PFAS, which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and they are compounds made of chlorine and fluorine nicknamed "forever chemicals" because they essentially never break down.

From Salon

While there are many ways to make black silicon, including some that use the charged, fourth state of matter known as plasma, the new model focuses on a process that uses only fluorine gas.

In the lab, the scientists estimated how much sulfur and fluorine was injected into the atmosphere by massive volcanic eruptions in the 200,000 years before the dinosaur extinction.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


fluorinatefluorine dating