Net Charge of Fluorine Atom: Is it Possible?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the net charge of a fluorine atom based on given subatomic particle counts: 9 protons, 10 neutrons, and 20 electrons. Participants explore the implications of these numbers and the feasibility of a fluorine atom gaining additional electrons.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant identifies the atom as fluorine based on the atomic number but questions the possibility of the atom having 20 electrons.
  • Another participant expresses skepticism about the feasibility of a fluorine atom gaining 11 additional electrons, suggesting it might be a typo.
  • A participant initially calculates the net charge as -5 but later revises it to -3, expressing uncertainty about the correctness of this calculation.
  • There is a challenge regarding the definition of net charge and how it applies to the given numbers of protons and electrons.
  • One participant suggests that the calculation of net charge should follow the same logic applied to other examples, questioning the arithmetic used in the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the net charge of the fluorine atom, with multiple competing views and uncertainties remaining about the calculations and the feasibility of the electron count.

Contextual Notes

There is ambiguity regarding the initial assumption of the number of electrons and whether it is a typo. The discussion also highlights a lack of clarity on the definition of net charge and its application in this context.

Procrastinate
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This is probably a simple question but it has absolutely annoyed me for a week at University (yes, I know, I am still learning this, laugh away).

I am meant to identify the atom/ion and the net charge of it.

This is the information I am given:

Protons: 9
Neutrons: 10
Electrons: 20

The Atomic Number is quite straightforward - 9. Therefore, it is Fluorine. However what I can't figure out is the net charge - is it even possible for a Fluorine atom to gain 11 more electrons if it needs only to remove 2 valence electrons to pursue a full outer shell?

Otherwise, the net charge would be -5, is this right?
 
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Hi Procrastinate! :smile:
Procrastinate said:
The Atomic Number is quite straightforward - 9. Therefore, it is Fluorine. However what I can't figure out is the net charge - is it even possible for a Fluorine atom to gain 11 more electrons if it needs only to remove 2 valence electrons to pursue a full outer shell?

Yes, I'd be surprised if you could add that many electrons. :confused:
Otherwise, the net charge would be -5, is this right?

I'm fascinated to know how you got -5. :smile:
 
tiny-tim said:
Hi Procrastinate! :smile:
I'm fascinated to know how you got -5. :smile:

When you add all the electrons, you get a new valence electron number of 5. However, now that I think about it, I did it wrong, so it's net charge would be -3 as it would want to acquire three electrons to attain a full outer shell.

I am not sure if this is right though since I never understood from the beginning if 11 electrons added to a Fluorine atom was logistically possible.
 
No idea what you are calculating. Let's put apart fact that 11 electrons excess is absurd (my guess is that it is a typo, and it was intended to be 10 electrons). What is the definition of a net charge?
 
Borek said:
No idea what you are calculating. Let's put apart fact that 11 electrons excess is absurd (my guess is that it is a typo, and it was intended to be 10 electrons). What is the definition of a net charge?

It would be the overall charge on an atom (after it has been ionised, so it would be called an "ion". So if you had 3 protons and 2 electrons, for example, it would be a +1 charge.
 
3-2=1. Can you apply exactly the same simple logic to 9 and 20?
 

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