What is the oxidation number assigned to fluorine?

Fluorine is the most electronegative element on the periodic table, which means it has a strong tendency to attract electrons toward itself. In most compounds, fluorine typically has an oxidation number of -1. This is due to its high electronegativity; when fluorine forms bonds with other elements, it tends to gain one electron to complete its valence shell, resulting in a stable electronic configuration similar to that of noble gases.

In molecular species or in ionic compounds where fluorine is present, you will see it often assigned this -1 oxidation state. For example, in compounds such as HF (hydrofluoric acid) or NaF (sodium fluoride), fluorine exhibits this oxidation state. This characteristic makes the oxidation number of fluorine distinct from many other elements which can vary widely in their oxidation states depending on the compound they are in.

The other options do not apply to fluorine under typical circumstances. It does not have an oxidation number of 0 because that would imply it is in its elemental form (F2), and it does not typically oxidize to +1 or -2. Therefore, the oxidation number assigned to fluorine is indeed -1.