In classical physics, that would require the atom to overcome an energy barrier, which fluorine simply shouldn’t be able to do due to its mass. However, the tunneling effect allowed it to bypass ...

Model reveals bonds break based on atom orientation at the surface. The new etching model precisely explains how fluorine gas breaks certain bonds in the silicon more often than others, ...

A fluorine atom contains 7 electrons in its outer shell; it desperately wants the 8th, which converts it into fluoride. This is why the element is so reactive. Image: Wikimedia Commons. Fluorine (the ...