Phosphorus is the fifteenth element on the periodic table. It has fifteen protons, sixteen neutrons, and fifteen electrons. It has a mass number of 30.97 and an atomic number of fifteen. Its element symbol is “P.”
Phosphorus was discovered by Hennig Brandt in Hamburg in the year 1669. Hennig evaporated urine and heated the residue left behind until it was red hot. This was where the phosphorus vapor was distilled, which he then collected by condensing it into water. Hennig kept his discovery a secret, because he believed that he had found the philosopher’s stone that could turn base metals into gold. After he ran out of money, he sold the phosphorus that he discovered to Daniel Kraft who showed it around Europe. Later it was discovered that …show more content…
It has a melting point of 44.15 degrees Celsius ( 111.47 degrees Fahrenheit ). Its boiling point is 280.5 degrees Celsius ( 536.9 degrees Fahrenheit ). On the periodic table Phosphorus is in group 15 and period 3. White Phosphorus is a poisonous, waxy solid, that if comes into contact with skin can cause severe burns. It glows in the dark, and is spontaneously flammable when exposed to air. It is gathered by heating phosphorus rock, which is found in large quantities in the United States and elsewhere, Red Phosphorus is an amorphous non-toxic solid made by slowly heating white phosphorus in the absence of air. Black Phosphorus is created by heating white phosphorus with a mercury catalyst and a black phosphorus seed. There are three isotopes of phosphorus, P 31, P 32, and P 33. P31 is the stable form of phosphorus. P 32 is a radioactive version that has a half life of 14.28 days. P 33 is also a radioactive version of phosphorus that has a half life of 24.3 days. Because of their short half lives there are not really any uses for those phosphorus isotopes.
Each form of phosphorus has different uses. Since white phosphorus is highly flammable the military made use of it in flares and incendiary devices, also in steel production. Red phosphorus was and is still used today on the side of match boxes to help light safety matches, it is a stable form of phosphorus. There are not as many uses
Phosphorus was discovered by Hennig Brandt in Hamburg in the year 1669. Hennig evaporated urine and heated the residue left behind until it was red hot. This was where the phosphorus vapor was distilled, which he then collected by condensing it into water. Hennig kept his discovery a secret, because he believed that he had found the philosopher’s stone that could turn base metals into gold. After he ran out of money, he sold the phosphorus that he discovered to Daniel Kraft who showed it around Europe. Later it was discovered that …show more content…
It has a melting point of 44.15 degrees Celsius ( 111.47 degrees Fahrenheit ). Its boiling point is 280.5 degrees Celsius ( 536.9 degrees Fahrenheit ). On the periodic table Phosphorus is in group 15 and period 3. White Phosphorus is a poisonous, waxy solid, that if comes into contact with skin can cause severe burns. It glows in the dark, and is spontaneously flammable when exposed to air. It is gathered by heating phosphorus rock, which is found in large quantities in the United States and elsewhere, Red Phosphorus is an amorphous non-toxic solid made by slowly heating white phosphorus in the absence of air. Black Phosphorus is created by heating white phosphorus with a mercury catalyst and a black phosphorus seed. There are three isotopes of phosphorus, P 31, P 32, and P 33. P31 is the stable form of phosphorus. P 32 is a radioactive version that has a half life of 14.28 days. P 33 is also a radioactive version of phosphorus that has a half life of 24.3 days. Because of their short half lives there are not really any uses for those phosphorus isotopes.
Each form of phosphorus has different uses. Since white phosphorus is highly flammable the military made use of it in flares and incendiary devices, also in steel production. Red phosphorus was and is still used today on the side of match boxes to help light safety matches, it is a stable form of phosphorus. There are not as many uses