Here's why:
* Fluorine is a nonmetal: Nonmetals tend to share electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration.
* Similar electronegativity: Fluorine has the highest electronegativity of all elements, meaning it attracts electrons very strongly. Since both fluorine atoms have equal electronegativity, they share the electrons equally.
Therefore, a covalent bond is formed between the two fluorine atoms, resulting in a diatomic molecule of fluorine (F₂).