Lithium and Flourine Reaction

March 27th, 2009

how the atoms in lithium and fluorine transfer electrons to form ions?

Lithium atoms have tendencies to form positive atoms because these lithium is a metal. Beside that lithium has electron configuration of:

Li =  1s2 2s1

Thus these lithium atoms are prefer to lose their 1 electron that place in outer orbital to form lithium ion Li+. In another way fluorine is a nonmetallic atom thus fluorine is prefer to form negative ion because fluorine has 7 electron in its outer orbital thus to catch one electron will complete its octet rule, that is eight electron that place on the valence orbital.

F = 1s2 2s2p5

Li+ = 1s2

F- = 1s2 2s2p6

Thus lithium will give one electron to fluorine and then the form compound called lithium fluoride that connect with electrostatic force because of that this compound is belong to ionic coumpound.

or we can write the reaction below

Li -> Li+ + e

2e + F2 -> 2F-

and the whole reaction:

2Li + F2 -> 2LiF

Entry Filed under: Chemical Equation