Phosphorus (P)
nonmetalSolid
Standard Atomic Weight
30.973762 uElectron configuration
[Ne] 3s2 3p3Melting point
44.15 °CBoiling point
280.5 °CDensity
1820 kg/m³Oxidation states
−3, −2, −1, 0, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5Electronegativity (Pauling)
2.19Ionization energy (1st)
10.486686 eVDiscovery year
1669Atomic radius
100 pmDetails
Phosphorus is a reactive nonmetal in group 15 and is essential to life as a component of nucleic acids, phospholipids, and energy-transfer molecules. It does not occur naturally as the free element because it is readily oxidized, but it is abundant in phosphate minerals. Elemental phosphorus is notable for its several allotropes, especially highly reactive white phosphorus and more stable red and black forms.
Phosphorus exists in four or more allotropic forms: white (or yellow), red, and black (or violet). Ordinary phosphorus is a waxy white solid; when pure it is colorless and transparent. White phosphorus has two modifications: alpha and beta with a transition temperature at -3.8°C.
It is insoluble in water, but soluble in carbon disulfide. It takes fire spontaneously in air, burning to the pentoxide.
The name derives from the Greek phosphoros for "bringing light" because it has the property of glowing in the dark. This was also the ancient name for the planet Venus, when it appears before sunrise. Phosphorus was discovered by the German merchant Hennig Brand in 1669.
In what is perhaps the most disgusting method of discovering an element, phosphorus was first isolated in 1669 by Hennig Brand, a German physician and alchemist, by boiling, filtering and otherwise processing as many as 60 buckets of urine. Thankfully, phosphorus is now primarily obtained from phosphate rock (Ca3(PO4)2).
From the Greek phosphoros, light bearing; ancient name for the planet Venus when appearing before sunrise. Brand discovered phosphorus in 1669 by preparing it from urine.
White phosphorus consists of soft, waxy, pale material made of P₄ molecules and may glow faintly in air. Red phosphorus is a dark red to violet amorphous or polymeric solid. Black phosphorus is a layered, dark, graphite-like crystalline solid and is the most thermodynamically stable allotrope at ordinary conditions.
Most phosphorus is used indirectly through phosphate compounds, especially fertilizers, animal feed supplements, detergents where permitted, food additives, and industrial phosphates. Elemental white phosphorus has military use in smoke, illumination, and incendiary munitions, subject to legal restrictions. Red phosphorus is used on safety-match striking surfaces, in some flame-retardant systems, and as a reagent in chemical synthesis. Black phosphorus is studied for electronic and optoelectronic materials, but it is not a bulk commodity.
Phosphorus has three main allotropes: white, red and black. White phosphorus is poisonous and can spontaneously ignite when it comes in contact with air. For this reason, white phosphorus must be stored under water and is usually used to produce phosphorus compounds. Red phosphorus is formed by heating white phosphorus to 250°C (482°F) or by exposing white phosphorus to sunlight. Red phosphorus is not poisonous and is not as dangerous as white phosphorus, although frictional heating is enough to change it back to white phosphorus. Red phosphorus is used in safety matches, fireworks, smoke bombs and pesticides. Black phosphorus is also formed by heating white phosphorus, but a mercury catalyst and a seed crystal of black phosphorus are required. Black phosphorus is the least reactive form of phosphorus and has no significant commercial uses.
Phosphoric acid (H3PO4) is used in soft drinks and to create many phosphate compounds, such as triple superphosphate fertilizer (Ca(H2PO4)2·H2O). Trisodium phosphate (Na3PO4) is used as a cleaning agent and as a water softener. Calcium phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2) is used to make china and in the production of baking powder. Some phosphorus compounds glow in the dark or emit light in response to absorbing radiation and are used in fluorescent light bulbs and television sets.
In recent years, concentrated phosphoric acids, which may contain as much as 70% to 75% P2O5 content, have become of great importance to agriculture and farm production. World-wide demand for fertilizers has caused record phosphate production. Phosphates are used in the production of special glasses, such as those used for sodium lamps.
Bone-ash calcium phosphate is used to create fine chinaware and to produce mono-calcium phosphate, used in baking powder.
Phosphorus is also important in the production of steels, phosphor bronze, and many other products. Trisodium phosphate is important as a cleaning agent, as a water softener, and for preventing boiler scale and corrosion of pipes and boiler tubes.
Phosphorus is also an essential ingredient of all cell protoplasm, nervous tissue, and bones.
Isotopes in Biology
32P (half-life of 14.3 days) is a radioactive isotope of phosphorus that is used to help understand the biological and chemical processes in plants. It is chemically identical to other isotopes of phosphorous and can be substituted in biological and chemical reactions. For example, a phosphate solution containing 32P (which has the identical behavior of non-radioactive 31P) can be inserted into the roots of a plant and its movement can then be tracked throughout the plant with the use of a Geiger counter. This movement detection study helps scientists to better understand how plants use phosphorous to reproduce and grow [131] B. Singh, J. Singh, A. Kaur. Int. J. Biotechnol. Bioeng. Res.4, 167 (2013)., [132] S. N. Levine, M. P. Stainton, D. W. Schindler. Can. J. Fish. Aquat.Sci.43, 366 (1986)..
At the molecular level, 32P can substitute for 31P in nucleotides of DNA or RNA (ribonucleic acid, a single stranded molecule that regulates genes). Radioactive probes can be created to help identify the presence, absence, and quantity of genes in a system [133] E. K. J. Pauwels, F. J. Cleton. Radiother. Oncol.1, 333 (1984)., [134] C. B. Wilson, A. A. Epenetos. Baillieres Clin. Gastroenterol.1, 115 (1987)..
Isotopes in Earth/Planetary Science
32P has been used as a tracer to help determine phosphorus nutrient cycling in eutrophied lakes (lakes rich in organic and mineral nutrients commonly leading to the excessive growth of phytoplankton, a self-feeding water organism) (Fig. IUPAC.15.1). In one experiment, phosphoric acid labeled with 32P was added to a lake that had been experimentally eutrophied. 32P was measured in microphytoplankton (plankton visible only with a microscope), phytoplankton, and zooplankton (tiny animals that live suspended in fresh or salt water), and the amount of incorporated 32P was determined [132] S. N. Levine, M. P. Stainton, D. W. Schindler. Can. J. Fish. Aquat.Sci.43, 366 (1986)..
33P has been used to better understand phosphorus dynamics in the environment at the sediment-surface level. Phosphorus is a necessary nutrient for many biota (the plant and animal life of a particular habitat, region, or geological period). Understanding bioavailability and sorption (bonding) of this nutrient to particles in soil is important for understanding ecosystem health. Organic and inorganic phosphorus substrates isotopically labeled with 33P can be tracked within a sediment system to determine their transport properties and availability to biota [135] L. Tuominen, H. Hartikainen, T. Kairesalo, P. Tallberg. Water Res.32, 2001 (1998)..
Isotopes in Industry
32P was added to tires in the 1950s by Goodrich Laboratories to help determine the location and depth of tire wear in performance tests [136] Popular Science Monthly: Mechanic and Handicraft, 91 (1951)..
Isotopes in Medicine
Beta emissions from the radioactive isotope 32P can be used in drug therapy of cancerous bone masses. By injecting a patient with a 32P pharmaceutical, tumors and other cells can be targeted for cell death, which also helps to alleviate pain [137] E. B. Silberstein, A. H. Elgazzar, A. Kapilivsky. Semin. Nucl. Med.22, 17 (1992)., [138] S. C. Srivastava. Braz. Arch. Biol. Technol.45, 45 (2002).. For example, Polycythemia vera is the condition of having excess red blood cells in the bone marrow: 32P can be used to treat this condition by reducing the number of red blood cells. However, there is no cure for this condition [139] Mayo Clinic staff. Polycythemia Vera: Treatments and Drugs, Mayo Clinic (2017), April 4; http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/polycythemia-vera/diagnosis-treatment/treatment/txc-20307498.. Using a 32P labeled bio-silicone product, 32P has been used as the radioactive target in brachytherapy of solid tumors in the lung [140] A. S. W. Goh, A. Y. F. Chung, R. H. G. Lo, T. N. Lau, S. W. K. Yu, M. Chng, S. Satchithanantham, S. L. E. Loong, D. C. E. Ng, B. C. Lim, S. Connor, P. K. H. Chow. Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys.67, 786 (2007).. Depending on the type of 32P-labeled compound (antibody or pharmaceutical drug), when it is ingested or injected into the body, specific body parts (blood, tumors, joints, or bones) can be targeted for visualization and imaged using a gamma camera. This is useful for imaging cancer sites and for treatment monitoring of oncologic patients [133] E. K. J. Pauwels, F. J. Cleton. Radiother. Oncol.1, 333 (1984)., [134] C. B. Wilson, A. A. Epenetos. Baillieres Clin. Gastroenterol.1, 115 (1987)., [138] S. C. Srivastava. Braz. Arch. Biol. Technol.45, 45 (2002)..
Phosphorus commonly forms compounds in the −3, +3, and +5 oxidation states. Phosphate chemistry, based on the PO₄³⁻ ion, dominates its geology and biology; calcium phosphate phases include apatite minerals and bone mineral. Phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) is a major industrial acid and a precursor to many salts. Phosphorus trichloride (PCl₃) and phosphorus pentachloride (PCl₅) are important chlorinating and phosphorus-transfer reagents. Phosphine (PH₃) contains phosphorus in a reduced state and is toxic and flammable.
See more information at the Phosphorus compound page.
White phosphorus is pyrophoric, causes severe chemical burns, and is acutely toxic; it is commonly stored under water or inert atmosphere. Red phosphorus is much less reactive but can ignite if finely divided or contaminated with oxidants. Phosphine (PH₃) is a highly poisonous gas. Phosphate nutrients are biologically necessary, but concentrated acids, salts, dusts, and industrial reagents require normal chemical controls.
Phosphorus is very poisonous, 50 mg constituting an approximate fatal dose. Exposure to white phosphorus should not exceed 0.1 mg/m3 (8-hour time-weighted average per 40-hour work week). White phosphorus should be kept under water (as it is dangerously reactive in air) and should be handled with forceps, as contact with the skin may cause severe burns.
Phosphorus cycles mainly as phosphate in rocks, soils, waters, and organisms. Weathering releases phosphate, while biological uptake and sedimentation return it to soils and aquatic sediments. It is often a limiting nutrient in freshwater and some terrestrial systems. Excess runoff from fertilizers, manure, and wastewater can promote eutrophication and harmful algal growth. There is no significant atmospheric reservoir comparable to nitrogen.
Phosphorus supply is based chiefly on mining phosphate rock, especially apatite-rich sedimentary deposits and some igneous deposits. Most mined material is converted to phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) or processed directly for fertilizer production. Elemental phosphorus is made industrially by reducing phosphate rock with carbon in electric furnaces in the presence of silica, but this route is energy intensive and serves smaller chemical markets. Supply concerns focus on ore grade, impurities such as cadmium or uranium in some deposits, transport costs, and the concentration of high-quality reserves. Recycling from manure, sewage sludge, and food-system wastes is increasingly important but not yet a full substitute for mined phosphate.
Never found free in nature, it is widely distributed in combination with minerals. Phosphate rock, which contains the mineral apatite, an impure tri-calcium phosphate, is an important source of the element. Large deposits are found in Russia, in Morocco, and in Florida, Tennessee, Utah, Idaho, and elsewhere.
Phosphorus is far less abundant cosmically than carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur. It is produced in massive stars and supernova-related nucleosynthesis and is incorporated into interstellar dust, meteorites, and planetary crusts. In the Solar System it occurs mainly in phosphate minerals and, in reduced meteoritic settings, in phosphides such as schreibersite.
- White phosphorus was historically called a light-bearing substance because it slowly oxidizes and glows in moist air.
- Safety matches separate the oxidizer in the match head from red phosphorus on the striking surface.
- Black phosphorus can be exfoliated into phosphorene, a two-dimensional semiconductor studied in research.
- Phosphate rock may contain variable trace metals, so ore source affects fertilizer impurity profiles.
- Phosphorus has only one stable isotope, ³¹P.
Images
Properties
Physical
- Atomic radius (empirical)
- 100 pm Compare Atomic radius (empirical) of all elements →
- Covalent radius
- 107 pm Compare Covalent radius of all elements →
- Van der Waals radius
- 180 pm Compare Van der Waals radius of all elements →
- Metallic radius
- 110 pm Compare Metallic radius of all elements →
- Density
- 1820 kg/m³ Compare Density of all elements →
- Molar volume
- 0.017 L/mol
- Phase at STP
- Solid Compare Phase at STP of all elements →
- Melting point
- 44.15 °C Compare Melting point of all elements →
- Boiling point
- 280.5 °C Compare Boiling point of all elements →
- Specific heat capacity
- 0.769 J/(g·K) Compare Specific heat capacity of all elements →
- Molar heat capacity
- 23.824 J/(mol·K) Compare Molar heat capacity of all elements →
- Crystal structure
- Cubic Compare Crystal structure of all elements →
Chemical
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 2.19 Compare Electronegativity (Pauling) of all elements →
- Electronegativity (Allen)
- 2.253
- Electron affinity
- 0.7466 eV
- Ionization energy (1st)
- 10.486686 eV Compare Ionization energy (1st) of all elements →
- Ionization energy (2nd)
- 19.769558 eV Compare Ionization energy (2nd) of all elements →
- Ionization energy (3rd)
- 30.202744 eV Compare Ionization energy (3rd) of all elements →
- Ionization energy (4th)
- 51.444047 eV Compare Ionization energy (4th) of all elements →
- Ionization energy (5th)
- 65.025334 eV Compare Ionization energy (5th) of all elements →
- Oxidation states
- −3, −2, −1, 0, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5 Compare Oxidation states of all elements →
- Valence electrons
- 5 Compare Valence electrons of all elements →
- Allotropes
- ["red", "white"]
- Electron configuration
- [Ne] 3s2 3p3
Thermodynamic
- Critical point (temperature)
- 721 °C
- Heat of fusion
- 0.00684044 eV Compare Heat of fusion of all elements →
- Heat of vaporization
- 0.12851739 eV Compare Heat of vaporization of all elements →
- Heat of sublimation
- 3.271597 eV
- Heat of atomization
- 3.271597 eV
- Atomization enthalpy
- 3.280303 eV
Nuclear
- Protons
- 15 Compare Protons of all elements →
- Neutrons
- 16 Compare Neutrons of all elements →
- Known isotopes
- 24 Compare Known isotopes of all elements →
- Stable isotopes
- 1 Compare Stable isotopes of all elements →
- Most stable isotope
- P-31
- Discovery year
- 1669
Abundance
- Abundance (Earth's crust)
- 1050 mg/kg Compare Abundance (Earth's crust) of all elements →
- Abundance (ocean)
- 0.06 mg/L Compare Abundance (ocean) of all elements →
Crystal Structure
- Lattice constant a
- 717 pm
Electronic Structure
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 5 Compare Electrons per shell of all elements →
Identifiers
- CAS number
- 7723-14-0 Compare CAS number of all elements →
- Term symbol
- 4S°3/2
- InChI
- InChI=1S/P
- InChI Key
- OAICVXFJPJFONN-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Electron Configuration Measured
P: 3s² 3p³[Ne] 3s² 3p³1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p³Atomic model
Isotopes change neutron count, mass, and stability — not the electron configuration of a neutral atom.
Schematic atomic model, not to scale.
Atomic Fingerprint
Emission / Absorption Spectrum
Isotope Distribution
| Mass number | Atomic mass (u) | Natural abundance | Half-life |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Stable | 30.97376199842 ± 0.0000000007 | 100.0000% | Stable |
Phase / State
Reason: 19.2 °C below melting point (44.15 °C)
Schematic, not to scale
Phase transition points
Transition energies
Energy required to melt 1 mol at melting point
Energy required to vaporize 1 mol at boiling point
Energy required to sublime 1 mol at sublimation point
Density
At standard conditions
At standard conditions
Advanced
Atomic Spectra
Showing 10 of 15. Sorted by ion charge (ascending).
Lines Holdings ?
| Ion | Charge | Total lines | Transition probabilities | Level designations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P I | 0 | 258 | 132 | 133 |
| P II | +1 | 100 | 73 | 73 |
| P III | +2 | 70 | 23 | 23 |
| P IV | +3 | 129 | 78 | 78 |
| P V | +4 | 48 | 30 | 30 |
| P VI | +5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| P VII | +6 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| P VIII | +7 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| P IX | +8 | 47 | 47 | 47 |
| P X | +9 | 26 | 26 | 26 |
Levels Holdings ?
| Ion | Charge | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| P I | 0 | 289 |
| P II | +1 | 162 |
| P III | +2 | 129 |
| P IV | +3 | 211 |
| P V | +4 | 68 |
| P VI | +5 | 60 |
| P VII | +6 | 62 |
| P VIII | +7 | 65 |
| P IX | +8 | 48 |
| P X | +9 | 58 |
Ionic Radii
| Charge | Coordination | Spin | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|
| +3 | 6 | N/A | 44 pm |
| +5 | 4 | N/A | 17 pm |
| +5 | 5 | N/A | 28.999999999999996 pm |
| +5 | 6 | N/A | 38 pm |
Compounds
Isotopes (1)
| Mass number | Atomic mass (u) | Natural abundance | Half-life | Decay mode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Stable | 30.97376199842 ± 0.0000000007 | 100.0000% | Stable | stable |
Spectral Lines
Showing 50 of 122. Only spectral lines with measured intensity are shown by default.
| Wavelength (nm) | Intensity | Ion stage | Type | Transition | Accuracy | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 460.2069 nm | 600 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3D → 3s2.3p.4d 3F* | Measured | NIST | |
| 422.2198 nm | 500 | P III | emission | 3s2.4s 2S → 3s2.4p 2P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 458.8032 nm | 500 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3D → 3s2.3p.4d 3F* | Measured | NIST | |
| 458.9846 nm | 500 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3D → 3s2.3p.4d 3F* | Measured | NIST | |
| 494.3497 nm | 500 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3D → 3s2.3p.5s 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 602.418 nm | 500 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4s 3P* → 3s2.3p.4p 3D | Measured | NIST | |
| 604.308 nm | 500 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4s 3P* → 3s2.3p.4p 3D | Measured | NIST | |
| 405.9312 nm | 400 | P III | emission | 3s2.3d 2D → 3s2.4p 2P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 442.0712 nm | 400 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4s 1P* → 3s2.3p.4p 1S | Measured | NIST | |
| 529.6077 nm | 400 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4s 3P* → 3s2.3p.4p 3S | Measured | NIST | |
| 542.588 nm | 400 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4s 3P* → 3s2.3p.4p 3P | Measured | NIST | |
| 545.0709 nm | 400 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3P → 3s2.3p.5s 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 603.404 nm | 400 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4s 3P* → 3s2.3p.4p 3D | Measured | NIST | |
| 424.672 nm | 350 | P III | emission | 3s2.4s 2S → 3s2.4p 2P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 608.784 nm | 350 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4s 3P* → 3s2.3p.4p 3D | Measured | NIST | |
| 616.56 nm | 350 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4s 3P* → 3s2.3p.4p 3D | Measured | NIST | |
| 395.7641 nm | 300 | P III | emission | 3s.3p.(3P*).4s 4P* → 3s.3p.(3P*).4p 4P | Measured | NIST | |
| 408.0089 nm | 300 | P III | emission | 3s2.3d 2D → 3s2.4p 2P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 424.9655 nm | 300 | P IV | emission | 3s.4s 1S → 3s.4p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 462.6708 nm | 300 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3D → 3s2.3p.4d 3F* | Measured | NIST | |
| 465.8309 nm | 300 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3D → 3s2.3p.4d 3F* | Measured | NIST | |
| 495.4367 nm | 300 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3D → 3s2.3p.5s 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 496.9701 nm | 300 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3D → 3s2.3p.5s 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 525.3479 nm | 300 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4s 1P* → 3s2.3p.4p 1D | Measured | NIST | |
| 534.4729 nm | 300 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4s 3P* → 3s2.3p.4p 3P | Measured | NIST | |
| 538.6895 nm | 300 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4s 3P* → 3s2.3p.4p 3P | Measured | NIST | |
| 531.6055 nm | 250 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4s 3P* → 3s2.3p.4p 3P | Measured | NIST | |
| 537.8192 nm | 250 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3P → 3s2.3p.5s 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 558.8301 nm | 250 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3S → 3s2.3p.5s 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 605.55 nm | 250 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 1D → 3s2.3p.5s 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 390.4811 nm | 200 | P III | emission | 3s.3p.(3P*).4s 4P* → 3s.3p.(3P*).4p 4P | Measured | NIST | |
| 405.7449 nm | 200 | P III | emission | 3s2.3d 2D → 3s2.4p 2P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 438.5393 nm | 200 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 1P → 3s2.3p.5s 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 447.527 nm | 200 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3P → 3s2.3p.4d 3D* | Measured | NIST | |
| 449.923 nm | 200 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 1D → 3s2.3p.4d 1F* | Measured | NIST | |
| 486.4426 nm | 200 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3D → 3s2.3p.5s 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 540.9722 nm | 200 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4s 3P* → 3s2.3p.4p 3P | Measured | NIST | |
| 548.3519 nm | 200 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3P → 3s2.3p.5s 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 549.9697 nm | 200 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4s 3P* → 3s2.3p.4p 3P | Measured | NIST | |
| 550.7174 nm | 200 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3P → 3s2.3p.5s 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 554.1139 nm | 200 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3P → 3s2.3p.5s 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 558.3235 nm | 200 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3P → 3s2.3p.5s 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 534.5854 nm | 180 | P I | emission | 3s2.3p2.(3P).4s 2P → 3s2.3p2.(3P).5p 2P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 547.7672 nm | 180 | P I | emission | 3s2.3p2.(3P).4s 2P → 3s2.3p2.(3P).5p 2D* | Measured | NIST | |
| 716.547 nm | 180 | P I | emission | 3s2.3p2.(3P).4p 4D* → 3s2.3p2.(3P).5d 4F | Measured | NIST | |
| 717.666 nm | 180 | P I | emission | 3s2.3p2.(3P).4p 4D* → 3s2.3p2.(3P).5d 4F | Measured | NIST | |
| 492.7197 nm | 150 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4p 3D → 3s2.3p.5s 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 519.1393 nm | 150 | P II | emission | 3s2.3p.4s 3P* → 3s2.3p.4p 3S | Measured | NIST | |
| 510.9625 nm | 140 | P I | emission | 3s2.3p2.(3P).4s 4P → 3s2.3p2.(3P).5p 4P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 515.4842 nm | 140 | P I | emission | 3s2.3p2.(3P).4s 4P → 3s2.3p2.(3P).5p 4D* | Measured | NIST |
Extended Properties
Covalent Radii (Extended)
- Covalent radius (Pyykkö)
- 111 pm
- Covalent radius (Pyykkö, double)
- 102 pm
- Covalent radius (Pyykkö, triple)
- 94 pm
Van der Waals Radii
- Bondi
- 180 pm
- Batsanov
- 195 pm
- Alvarez
- 190 pm
- UFF
- 414.7 pm
- MM3
- 222 pm
- Dreiding
- 415 pm
Atomic & Metallic Radii
- Atomic radius (Rahm)
- 223 pm
- Metallic radius (C12)
- 128 pm
Numbering Scales
- Mendeleev
- 94
- Pettifor
- 90
- Glawe
- 89
Electronegativity Scales
- Ghosh
- 0
- Miedema
- 6
- Gunnarsson–Lundqvist
- 5
- Robles–Bartolotti
- 4
Polarizability & Dispersion
- Dipole polarizability
- 25 a.u.
- Dipole polarizability (unc.)
- 1 a.u.
- C₆
- 185 Ha·Bohr6
- C₆ (Gould–Bučko)
- 187 Ha·Bohr6
Chemical Affinity
- Proton affinity
- 626.8 kJ/mol
- Gas basicity
- 604.8 kJ/mol
Miedema Parameters
- Miedema molar volume
- 8.6 cm3/mol
- Miedema electron density
- 4
Supply Risk & Economics
- Production concentration
- 39
- Relative supply risk
- 5
- Reserve distribution
- 45
- Political stability (top producer)
- 24
- Political stability (top reserve)
- 29
Phase Transitions & Allotropes
| Melting point | 317.3 K |
| Boiling point | 553.65 K |
| Critical point (temperature) | 994.15 K |
| Melting point | 852.35 K |
| Boiling point | 704.15 K |
| Critical point (temperature) | 994.15 K |
Oxidation State Categories
Advanced Reference Data
Screening Constants (5)
| n | Orbital | σ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | s | 0.4422 |
| 2 | p | 4.0388 |
| 2 | s | 5.175 |
| 3 | p | 10.1136 |
| 3 | s | 9.3582 |
Crystal Radii Detail (4)
| Charge | CN | Spin | rcrystal (pm) | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | VI | 58 | Ahrens (1952) ionic radius, | |
| 5 | IV | 31 | ||
| 5 | V | 43 | ||
| 5 | VI | 52 | calculated, |
Isotope Decay Modes (50)
| Isotope | Mode | Intensity |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | p | — |
| 24 | B+ | — |
| 24 | B+p | — |
| 25 | p | — |
| 26 | B+ | 100% |
| 26 | B+p | 35.1% |
| 26 | 2p | 2% |
| 27 | B+ | 100% |
| 27 | B+p | 0.1% |
| 28 | B+ | 100% |
X‑ray Scattering Factors (504)
| Energy (eV) | f₁ | f₂ |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | — | 8.47738 |
| 10.1617 | — | 8.27092 |
| 10.3261 | — | 8.06949 |
| 10.4931 | — | 7.87297 |
| 10.6628 | — | 7.68123 |
| 10.8353 | — | 7.49416 |
| 11.0106 | — | 7.31165 |
| 11.1886 | — | 7.13359 |
| 11.3696 | — | 6.95985 |
| 11.5535 | — | 6.79035 |
Additional Data
Estimated Crustal Abundance
The estimated element abundance in the earth's crust.
1.05×103 milligrams per kilogram
References (1)
- [5] Phosphorus https://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele015.html
Estimated Oceanic Abundance
The estimated element abundance in the earth's oceans.
6×10-2 milligrams per liter
References (1)
- [5] Phosphorus https://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele015.html
Sources
Sources of this element.
Never found free in nature, it is widely distributed in combination with minerals. Phosphate rock, which contains the mineral apatite, an impure tri-calcium phosphate, is an important source of the element. Large deposits are found in Russia, in Morocco, and in Florida, Tennessee, Utah, Idaho, and elsewhere.
References (1)
- [6] Phosphorus https://periodic.lanl.gov/15.shtml
Production
Production of this element (from raw materials or other compounds containing the element).
White phosphorus may be made by several methods. By one process, tri-calcium phosphate, the essential ingredient of phosphate rock, is heated in the presence of carbon and silica in an electric furnace or fuel-fired furnace. Elementary phosphorus is liberated as vapor and may be collected under phosphoric acid, an important compound in making super-phosphate fertilizers.
References (1)
- [6] Phosphorus https://periodic.lanl.gov/15.shtml
References
(9)
Data deposited in or computed by PubChem
The half-life and atomic mass data was provided by the Atomic Mass Data Center at the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Element data are cited from the Atomic weights of the elements (an IUPAC Technical Report). The IUPAC periodic table of elements can be found at https://iupac.org/what-we-do/periodic-table-of-elements/. Additional information can be found within IUPAC publication doi:10.1515/pac-2015-0703 Copyright © 2020 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.
The information are cited from Pure Appl. Chem. 2018; 90(12): 1833-2092, https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2015-0703.
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) is one of 17 national laboratories funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The lab's primary mission is to conduct basic research of the atom's nucleus using the lab's unique particle accelerator, known as the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF). For more information visit https://www.jlab.org/
The periodic table at the LANL (Los Alamos National Laboratory) contains basic element information together with the history, source, properties, use, handling and more. The provenance data may be found from the link under the source name.
The periodic table contains NIST's critically-evaluated data on atomic properties of the elements. The provenance data that include data for atomic spectroscopy, X-ray and gamma ray, radiation dosimetry, nuclear physics, and condensed matter physics may be found from the link under the source name. Ref: https://www.nist.gov/pml/atomic-spectra-database
This section provides all form of data related to element Phosphorus.
The element property data was retrieved from publications.