Final answer:
Fluorine aspires to emulate the noble gas neon by gaining one valence electron, becoming a negatively charged fluoride anion (F⁻).
Step-by-step explanation:
Fluorine (F), with an atomic number of 9, is keen on acquiring an additional electron to fill its valence shell, much like the noble gas neon (Ne).
By gaining one electron, fluorine reaches a noble gas electron configuration (2s²2p⁶), similar to neon. In doing so, it becomes the fluoride anion (F⁻), carrying a negative charge.
This electron gain results in ionic bonding, wherein atoms transfer electrons to achieve stable noble gas configurations. Due to its high electronegativity, fluorine is highly reactive and readily forms bonds by accepting electrons from other elements.