Abstract Through textual analysis of the discovery process of fluorine from scientific epistemology, scientific methodology, chemical thought and other aspects, it could be seen that the discovery of fluorine was not a process that the elemental substances were discovered first and then the element concepts formed, but a verification process from hypothesis to objective reality. Based on practice, scientists predicted the existence of fluorine by logical thinking and intuitive thinking and explored and innovated research methods constantly. The fluorine hypothesis was finally confirmed and the periodic law of elements was also verified. This caused the concept of halogen elements to mature and the evolution of chemical elements.
YUAN Zhen-Dong, LI Shan-Shan. Discovery of Fluorine: From Hypothesis to Objective Reality[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Education, 2020, 41(21): 103-107.
