What is the difference between fluorine and fluoride?

Zbeckabee

Fluorine is a chemical element. Its anion, F-, or any of the compounds containing the anion are termed fluorides. When you hear about fluoride in drinking water, it comes from adding a fluorine compound (usually sodium fluoride, sodium fluorosilicate, or fluorosilicic acid) to drinking water, which dissociates to release the F- ion. http://chemistry.about.com/b/2010/05/21/the-difference-between-fluorine-and-fluoride.htm Dec 28 10, 6:23 AM

Watchkeeper

"Fluorine is an element, whereas Fluoride is an ion, with one electron missing." Sorry, Ardicrocks, but the fluoride ion has one electron EXTRA. In chemistry the suffix -ide denotes a compound containing two elements e.g. in potassium fluoride the elements are potassium and fluorine. Likewise sodium chloride (common salt), nitrogen triiodide, magnesium oxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and a host of others. http://library.thinkquest.org/19957/nomen/binarybody.html Dec 28 10, 2:35 PM