Final answer:
The reaction between calcium (Ca) and fluorine (F) to form calcium fluoride (CaF2) involves the transfer of two electrons from the calcium atom to two fluorine atoms, resulting in the ionic compound CaF2 made of Ca²⁺ and F¯ ions.
Step-by-step explanation:
To illustrate the reaction between calcium (Ca) and fluorine (F) atoms to form calcium fluoride (CaF2), begin with the neutral atoms. Calcium, with an atomic number of 20, will release two electrons to achieve a noble gas electron configuration. On the other hand, fluorine, which has an atomic number of 9, requires one additional electron to achieve a noble gas electron configuration. Therefore, two fluorine atoms are needed for every one calcium atom to balance the transfer of electrons.
The balanced chemical equation is Ca(s) + F₂(g) → CaF₂(s). During this reaction, each fluorine atom from the diatomic fluorine molecule (F2) will gain one electron from the calcium atom, leading to the formation of calcium fluoride, which is an ionic compound consisting of Ca²⁺ and F¯ ions held together by ionic bonds.
Representation of Electron Transfer
Ca → Ca²⁺ + 2e¯
F₂ + 2e¯ → 2F¯
Ca²⁺ + 2F¯ → CaF₂
Ultimately, the calcium atom becomes a doubly positive cation (Ca²⁺), and the two fluorine atoms become negatively charged anions (F¯). The calcium and fluoride ions then attract each other to form ionic bonds, culminating in the formation of the ionic compound calcium fluoride (CaF2), which crystallizes into a solid structure.