10 Fun and Interesting Phosphorus Facts

Phosphorus History, Properties, and Uses

Phosphorus is element 15 on the periodic table, with the element symbol P.
Because it is so chemically reactive, phosphorus is never found free in nature,
yet you encounter this element in compounds and in your body. Here are 10
interesting facts about phosphorus:

Fast Facts: Phosphorus

Element Name: Phosphorus
Element Symbol: P
Atomic Number: 15
Classification: Group 15; Pnictogen; Nonmetal
Appearance: Appearance depends on the allotrope. Phosphorus is a solid at room
temperature. It may be white, yellow, red, violet, or black.
Electron Configuration: [Ne] 3s2 3p3
Discovery: Recognized as an element by Antoine Lavoisier (1777), but officially
discovered by Hennig Brand (1669).

Interesting Phosphorus Facts

Phosphorus was discovered in 1669 by Hennig Brand in Germany. Brand isolated
phosphorus from urine. The discovery made Brand the first person to discover a
new element. Other elements such as gold and iron were known before that, but no
specific person found them.
Brand called the new element "cold fire" because it glowed in the dark. The name
of the element comes from the Greek word phosphoros, which means "bringer of
light." The form of phosphorus Brand discovered was white phosphorus, which
reacts with oxygen in air to produce a green-white light. Although you might
think the glow would be phosphorescence, phosphorus is chemiluminescent and not
phosphorescent. Only the white allotrope or form of phosphorus glows in the dark.
Some texts refer to phosphorus as the "Devil's Element" because of its eerie
glow, tendency to burst into flame, and because it was the 13th known element.
Like other nonmetals, pure phosphorus assumes markedly different forms. There are
at least five phosphorus allotropes. In addition to white phosphorus, there is
red, violet, and black phosphorus. Under ordinary conditions, red and white
phosphorus are the most common forms.
While the properties of phosphorus depend on the allotrope, they share common
nonmetallic characteristics. Phosphorus is a poor conductor of heat and
electricity, except black phosphorus. All types of phosphorus are solid at room
temperature. The white form (sometimes called yellow phosphorus) resembles wax,
the red and violet forms are noncrystalline solids, while the black allotrope
resembles graphite in pencil lead. The pure element is reactive, so much so that
the white form will ignite spontaneously in air. Phosphorus typically has an
oxidation state of +3 or +5.
Phosphorus is essential to living organisms. There are about 750 grams of
phosphorus in the average adult. In the human body, it's found in DNA, bones, and
as an ion used for muscle contraction and nerve conduction. Pure phosphorus,
however, can be deadly. White phosphorus, in particular, is associated with
negative health effects. Matches made using white phosphorus are associated with
a disease known as phossy jaw which causes disfiguration and death. Contact with
white phosphorus can cause chemical burns. Red phosphorus is a safer alternative
and is considered non-toxic.
Natural phosphorus consists of one stable isotope, phosphorus-31. At least 23
isotopes of the element are known.
The primary use of phosphorus is for fertilizer production. The element is also
used in flares, safety matches, light-emitting diodes, and steel production.
Phosphates are used in some detergents. Red phosphorus is also one of the
chemicals used in illegal production of methamphetamines.
According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of
Sciences, phosphorus may have been brought to Earth by meteorites. The release of
phosphorus compounds seen early in Earth's history (yet not today) contributed to
the conditions needed for the origin of life. Phosphorus is abundant in the
Earth's crust at a concentration of about 1,050 parts per million, by weight.
While it's certainly possible to isolate phosphorus from urine or bone, today the
element is isolated from phosphate-bearing minerals. Phosphorus is obtained from
calcium phosphate by heating the rock in a furnace to yield tetraphosphorus
vapor. The vapor is condensed into phosphorus underwater to prevent ignition.