The atomic number of fluorine is 9. Explain the formation of the fluorine molecule (F₂).
The atomic number of fluorine is 9, giving it an electronic configuration of 2, 7. Therefore, a fluorine atom has seven electrons in its valence shell and requires one more electron to attain a stable electronic configuration.
To achieve stability, two fluorine atoms share one electron each. This sharing creates a shared pair of electrons that holds the two fluorine atoms together as a molecule.
Since the two atoms share one electron pair, they are bonded by a single covalent bond. The fluorine molecule (F₂) can be depicted as F—F.
Explanation
The textbook context details the formation of a chlorine molecule (Cl₂), which is directly analogous to the formation of a fluorine molecule. Just as a chlorine atom has seven valence electrons and needs one more to complete its octet, a fluorine atom (with atomic number 9 and an electronic configuration of 2, 7) also has seven valence electrons. By applying the covalent bonding principles from the text, two fluorine atoms share one electron each to form a shared pair, resulting in a single covalent bond represented as F—F.
Solution Steps
Step 1: Determine the electronic configuration of fluorine (2, 7) based on its atomic number 9, identifying it has seven valence electrons.
Step 2: Identify that each fluorine atom requires one more electron to attain a stable electronic configuration.
Step 3: Explain that two fluorine atoms share one electron each, forming a shared pair of electrons that holds them together.
Step 4: Conclude that this sharing of one electron pair forms a single covalent bond, depicted as F—F.