 To understand how a chemical state differs from an oxidation state, anion, or cation, compare sodium fluoride (NaF) to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Teflon).Both contain fluorine, the most electronegative element, but only NaF dissolves in water to form separate ions, Na+ and F-.The electronegativity of the fluorine strongly polarizes the electron density that exists between the carbon and the fluorine, but not enough to produce ions which would allow it to dissolve in the water.