The name fluorine was suggested by Humphry Davy and André-Marie Ampère, derived from fluorite, which itself comes from the Latin word fluor (“to flow”).

It was discovered in 1886 by Henri Moissan, and after that many scientists had been injured attempting to isolate it. Due to its dangerous reactivity, it was once nicknamed “the tiger of chemistry.”

Fluorine is the lightest of the halogen elements. Under standard conditions, it is typically a pale yellow diatomic gas that is highly toxic.

Fluorine is extremely reactive with most other elements, with the exception of a few light noble gases.

Fluorine is the main component in fluoride, a compound commonly used in toothpaste and added to public water supplies to protect teeth.

Fluorine is the most electronegative element on the periodic table, ranking 3.98 on the Pauling scale.

It reacts explosively with hydrogen gas.

Fluorine is a key component in the non-stick coating known as Teflon.

It is highly corrosive and can damage many metals.

Surprisingly, fluorine reacts with xenon—a noble gas once thought to be completely inert.

Fluorine is also essential in the compound fluoroantimonic acid, which is considered the strongest acid known.

Finally, fluorine plays a crucial role in nuclear fuel processing and was extensively used during the Manhattan Project.