Phosphorus (P)

Non-metallic element belonging to group 15 of the periodic table. Has a multiple allotropic forms. Essential element for living organisms. It was discovered by Brandt in 1669.

Atomic Number	15
Atomic Weight	30.973761998
Mass Number	31

Group	15
Period	3
Block	p

Protons	15 p⁺
Neutrons	16 n⁰
Electrons	15 e^-

Properties

Energy
Atomic Radius	100 pm 223 pm
Molar Volume	17 cm³/mol
Covalent Radius	111 pm 102 pm 94 pm 107 pm
Metallic Radius	110 pm 128 pm
Ionic Radius	44 pm 17 pm 29 pm 38 pm
Crystal Radius	58 pm 31 pm 43 pm 52 pm
Van der Waals Radius	195 pm 180 pm 415 pm 180 pm 222 pm 414.7 pm
Density	1.823 g/cm³
Proton Affinity	626.8 kJ/mol
Electron Affinity	0.746607 eV/particle
Ionization Energy	10.486686 eV/particle 19.76949 eV/particle 30.20264 eV/particle 51.44387 eV/particle 65.02511 eV/particle 220.4304 eV/particle 263.57 eV/particle 309.6 eV/particle 372.31 eV/particle 424.4 eV/particle 479.441 eV/particle 560.62 eV/particle 611.74 eV/particle 2,816.90867 eV/particle 3,069.8414 eV/particle

Heat of Vaporization	49.8 kJ/mol
Heat of Fusion	2.51 kJ/mol
Heat of Formation	316.5 kJ/mol
Electrons
Electron Shells	2, 8, 5

Valence Electrons	5

Electron Configuration	[Ne] 3s² 3p³

Oxidation States	-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Electronegativity	13.33 eV/particle 0.206931 2.19
Electrophilicity	1.6194282359497416 eV/particle
Phases
Phase	Solid
Gas Phase
Boiling Point	553.65 K
Melting Point	317.3 K 852.35 K
Critical Pressure
Critical Temperature	994.15 K 994.15 K
Triple Point
Visual
Color	Colorless #ffa500 #ff8000 #ff8000
Appearance	colourless, waxy white, yellow, scarlet, red, violet, black
Refractive Index	1.001212
Thermodynamic Properties
Thermal Conductivity
Thermal Expansion
Molar Heat Capacity	23.824 J/(mol K)
Specific Heat Capacity	0.769 J/(g⋅K)
Heat Capacity Ratio (Adiabatic Index)
Electrical Properties
Type	Conductor
Electrical Conductivity	10 MS/m
Electrical Resistivity	0.0000001 m Ω
Superconducting Point
Magnetism
Type	diamagnetic
Magnetic Susceptibility (Mass)	-0.0000000113 m³/Kg
Magnetic Susceptibility (Molar)	-0.00000000035 m³/mol
Magnetic Susceptibility (Volume)	-0.0000206
Magnetic Ordering
Curie Point
Neel Point
Structure
Crystal Structure	Simple Triclinic (CUB)
Lattice Constant	7.17 Å
Lattice Angles	1.25384, 1.57725, 1.24896
Mechanical Properties
Hardness
Bulk Modulus	11 GPa
Shear Modulus
Young Modulus
Poisson Ratio
Speed of Sound
Classification
Category	Other nonmetals, Nonmetals
CAS Group	VB
IUPAC Group	VA
Glawe Number	89
Mendeleev Number	94
Pettifor Number	90
Geochemical Class
Goldschmidt Class	litophile
Other
Gas Basicity	604.8 kJ/mol
Dipole Polarizability	25 ± 1 a₀
C6 Dispersion Coefficient	185 a₀ 187 a₀
Allotropes	White Phosphorus, Red Phosphorus, Black Phosphorus
Neutron Cross Section	0.18
Neutron Mass Absorption	0.0002
Quantum Numbers	4S3/2
Space Group	2 (P-1)

Isotopes of Phosphorus

Stable Isotopes	1
Unstable Isotopes	23
Radioactive Isotopes	21

²⁴P

Abundance
Relative Atomic Mass	24.036522 ± 0.000537 Da
Mass Number	24
G-Factor
Half Life
Spin	1
Quadrupole Moment
Discovery Year
Parity	+

²⁴P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
p (proton emission)	%
β⁺ (β⁺ decay; β⁺ = ϵ + e⁺)	%
β⁺ p (β⁺-delayed proton emission)	%

²⁵P

Abundance
Relative Atomic Mass	25.021675 ± 0.000429 Da
Mass Number	25
G-Factor
Half Life
Spin	1/2
Quadrupole Moment	0
Discovery Year
Parity	+

²⁵P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
p (proton emission)	%

²⁶P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	26.01178 ± 0.00021 Da
Mass Number	26
G-Factor
Half Life	43.6 ± 0.3 ms
Spin	3
Quadrupole Moment
Discovery Year	1983
Parity

²⁶P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁺ (β⁺ decay; β⁺ = ϵ + e⁺)	100%
β⁺ p (β⁺-delayed proton emission)	35.1%
2p (2-proton emission)	1.99%

²⁷P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	26.999292499 ± 0.000009662 Da
Mass Number	27
G-Factor
Half Life	260 ± 80 ms
Spin	1/2
Quadrupole Moment	0
Discovery Year	1977
Parity	+

²⁷P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁺ (β⁺ decay; β⁺ = ϵ + e⁺)	100%
β⁺ p (β⁺-delayed proton emission)	0.07%

²⁸P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	27.99232646 ± 0.000001231 Da
Mass Number	28
G-Factor	0.104 ± 0.001
Half Life	270.3 ± 0.5 ms
Spin	3
Quadrupole Moment	0.137 ± 0.014
Discovery Year	1953
Parity	+

²⁸P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁺ (β⁺ decay; β⁺ = ϵ + e⁺)	100%
β⁺ p (β⁺-delayed proton emission)	0.0013%
β⁺α (β⁺-delayed α emission)	0.00086%

²⁹P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	28.981800368 ± 0.000000385 Da
Mass Number	29
G-Factor	2.4688 ± 0.0006
Half Life	4.102 ± 0.004 s
Spin	1/2
Quadrupole Moment	0
Discovery Year	1941
Parity	+

²⁹P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁺ (β⁺ decay; β⁺ = ϵ + e⁺)	100%

³⁰P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	29.97831349 ± 0.000000069 Da
Mass Number	30
G-Factor
Half Life	2.5 ± 0.0017 m
Spin	1
Quadrupole Moment
Discovery Year	1934
Parity	+

³⁰P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁺ (β⁺ decay; β⁺ = ϵ + e⁺)	100%

³¹P

Abundance	100
Relative Atomic Mass	30.97376199768 ± 0.0000000008 Da
Mass Number	31
G-Factor	2.26185 ± 0.00001
Half Life
Spin	1/2
Quadrupole Moment	0
Discovery Year	1920
Parity	+

³²P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	31.973907643 ± 0.000000042 Da
Mass Number	32
G-Factor	-0.2528 ± 0.0002
Half Life	14.269 ± 0.007 d
Spin	1
Quadrupole Moment
Discovery Year	1934
Parity	+

³²P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	100%

³³P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	32.971725692 ± 0.00000117 Da
Mass Number	33
G-Factor
Half Life	25.35 ± 0.11 d
Spin	1/2
Quadrupole Moment	0
Discovery Year	1951
Parity	+

³³P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	100%

³⁴P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	33.973645886 ± 0.00000087 Da
Mass Number	34
G-Factor
Half Life	12.43 ± 0.1 s
Spin	1
Quadrupole Moment
Discovery Year	1945
Parity	+

³⁴P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	100%

³⁵P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	34.973314045 ± 0.000002003 Da
Mass Number	35
G-Factor
Half Life	47.3 ± 0.8 s
Spin	1/2
Quadrupole Moment	0
Discovery Year	1971
Parity	+

³⁵P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	100%

³⁶P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	35.97825961 ± 0.000014078 Da
Mass Number	36
G-Factor
Half Life	5.6 ± 0.3 s
Spin	4
Quadrupole Moment
Discovery Year	1971
Parity	-

³⁶P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	100%
β⁻ n (β⁻-delayed neutron emission)	%

³⁷P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	36.979606942 ± 0.000040738 Da
Mass Number	37
G-Factor
Half Life	2.31 ± 0.13 s
Spin	1/2
Quadrupole Moment	0
Discovery Year	1971
Parity	+

³⁷P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	100%
β⁻ n (β⁻-delayed neutron emission)	%

³⁸P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	37.984303105 ± 0.000077918 Da
Mass Number	38
G-Factor
Half Life	640 ± 140 ms
Spin	2
Quadrupole Moment
Discovery Year	1971
Parity	-

³⁸P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	100%
β⁻ n (β⁻-delayed neutron emission)	12%

³⁹P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	38.986285865 ± 0.000120929 Da
Mass Number	39
G-Factor
Half Life	282 ± 24 ms
Spin	1/2
Quadrupole Moment	0
Discovery Year	1977
Parity	+

³⁹P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	100%
β⁻ n (β⁻-delayed neutron emission)	26%

⁴⁰P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	39.991262221 ± 0.000089755 Da
Mass Number	40
G-Factor
Half Life	150 ± 8 ms
Spin	2
Quadrupole Moment
Discovery Year	1979
Parity	-

⁴⁰P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	100%
β⁻ n (β⁻-delayed neutron emission)	15.8%
2n (2-neutron emission)	%

⁴¹P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	40.994654 ± 0.000129 Da
Mass Number	41
G-Factor
Half Life	101 ± 5 ms
Spin	1/2
Quadrupole Moment	0
Discovery Year	1979
Parity	+

⁴¹P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	100%
β⁻ n (β⁻-delayed neutron emission)	30%
2n (2-neutron emission)	%

⁴²P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	42.00117214 ± 0.000101996 Da
Mass Number	42
G-Factor
Half Life	48.5 ± 1.5 ms
Spin
Quadrupole Moment
Discovery Year	1979
Parity

⁴²P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	100%
β⁻ n (β⁻-delayed neutron emission)	50%
2n (2-neutron emission)	%

⁴³P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	43.005411 ± 0.000322 Da
Mass Number	43
G-Factor
Half Life	35.8 ± 1.3 ms
Spin	1/2
Quadrupole Moment	0
Discovery Year	1989
Parity	+

⁴³P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	100%
β⁻ n (β⁻-delayed neutron emission)	100%
2n (2-neutron emission)	%

⁴⁴P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	44.011927 ± 0.000429 Da
Mass Number	44
G-Factor
Half Life	18.5 ± 2.5 ms
Spin
Quadrupole Moment
Discovery Year	1989
Parity

⁴⁴P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	100%
β⁻ n (β⁻-delayed neutron emission)	%
2n (2-neutron emission)	%

⁴⁵P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	45.017134 ± 0.000537 Da
Mass Number	45
G-Factor
Half Life
Spin	1/2
Quadrupole Moment	0
Discovery Year	1990
Parity	+

⁴⁵P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	%
β⁻ n (β⁻-delayed neutron emission)	%
2n (2-neutron emission)	%

⁴⁶P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	46.02452 ± 0.000537 Da
Mass Number	46
G-Factor
Half Life
Spin
Quadrupole Moment
Discovery Year	1990
Parity

⁴⁶P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	%
β⁻ n (β⁻-delayed neutron emission)	%
2n (2-neutron emission)	%

⁴⁷P

Abundance	Radioactive ☢️
Relative Atomic Mass	47.030929 ± 0.000644 Da
Mass Number	47
G-Factor
Half Life
Spin	1/2
Quadrupole Moment	0
Discovery Year	2018
Parity	+

⁴⁷P Decay Modes

Decay Mode	Intensity
β⁻ (β⁻ decay)	%
β⁻ n (β⁻-delayed neutron emission)	%
2n (2-neutron emission)	%

History

Hennig Brand discovered phosphorus in 1669, in Hamburg, Germany, preparing it from urine. In 1769, Johan Gottlieb Gahn and Carl Wilhelm Scheele showed that calcium phosphate is found in bones, and they obtained elemental phosphorus from bone ash. Antoine Lavoisier recognized phosphorus as an element in 1777. From the Greek phosphoros, light bearing; ancient name for the planet Venus when appearing before sunrise

Discoverers	Hennig Brand
Discovery Location	Germany
Discovery Year	1669
Etymology (Name Origin)	Greek: phosphoros, (bringer of light).
Pronunciation	FOS-fer-es (English)

White phosphorus is highly toxic while red phosphorus is considered non-toxic

Elemental phosphorus exists in two major forms - white phosphorus and red phosphorus

Uses

Many fertilisers contain a high proportion of phosphorus and are manufactured from concentrated phosphoric acids. Phosphorus is used in the manufacture of safety matches, pyrotechnics and incendiary shells. Phosphorus is also used in steel manufacture and in the production of phosphor bronze. Used in the production of fertilizers and detergents. Some is used in fireworks, safety matches, and incendiary weapons. Also some applications for it and some of its compounds which glow in the dark.

Sources

Found most often in phosphate rock. Pure phosphorus is obtained by heating a mixture of phosphate rock, coke, and silica to about 1450 °C.

Abundance
Abundance in Earth's crust	1,050 mg/kg
Abundance in Oceans	0.06 mg/L
Abundance in Human Body	1.1 %
Abundance in Meteor	0.11 %
Abundance in Sun	0.0007 %
Abundance in Universe	0.0007 %

Nuclear Screening Constants

1	s	0.4422
2	p	4.0388
2	s	5.175
3	p	10.1136
3	s	9.3582

Phosphorus on ChemicalAid

Art & Architecture Thesaurus ID	300192803
Australian Educational Vocabulary ID	scot/3556
BNCF Thesaurus ID	21980
Biblioteca Nacional de España ID	XX534851
Bibliothèque nationale de France ID	119329562
Brockhaus Enzyklopädie online ID	phosphor
CAS Registry Number	7723-14-0
ChEBI ID	28659
DSSTOX compound identifier	DTXCID204382
DSSTox substance ID	DTXSID1024382
DeCS ID	11186
Den Store Danske ID	fosfor
DrugBank ID	14151
Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID	science/phosphorus-chemical-element
Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID	science/phosphor
Encyclopædia Universalis ID	phosphore
EuroVoc ID	2372
Freebase ID	/m/025s7x6
French Vikidia ID	Phosphore
GND ID	4045855-6
Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID	0109983
Great Russian Encyclopedia Online ID	4732933
HCIS ID	4039
HSDB ID	1169
Human Metabolome Database ID	HMDB0001315
InChI	InChI=1S/P
InChIKey	OAICVXFJPJFONN-UHFFFAOYSA-N
KBpedia ID	Phosphorus
KEGG ID	C06262
Klexikon article ID	Phosphor
Latvian National Encyclopedia Online ID	127116
Library of Congress authority ID	sh85101119
MeSH descriptor ID	D010758
NALT ID	33436
NKCR AUT ID	ph120293
Namuwiki ID	인(원소)
National Diet Library ID	00569477
National Library of Israel J9U ID	987007543643705171
OmegaWiki Defined Meaning	2777
OpenAlex ID	C510538283
PSH ID	5802
PubChem CID	5462309
Quora topic ID	Phosphorus-1
Römpp online ID	RD-16-01961
STW Thesaurus for Economics ID	14646-3
Spanish Cultural Heritage thesauri ID	materias/1029633
Spanish Vikidia ID	Fósforo
Store medisinske leksikon ID	fosfor
Store medisinske leksikon ID	fosfor_-_medisin
Store norske leksikon ID	fosfor
Treccani ID	fosforo
UK Archival Thesaurus ID	f2/mt225/4347/1770
UK Parliament thesaurus ID	12134
UNESCO Thesaurus ID	concept4987
YSO ID	8695
ZVG number	3930

Phosphorus (P)

Properties

Isotopes of Phosphorus

24P

24P Decay Modes

25P

25P Decay Modes

26P

26P Decay Modes

27P

27P Decay Modes

28P

28P Decay Modes

29P

29P Decay Modes

30P

30P Decay Modes

31P

32P

32P Decay Modes

33P

33P Decay Modes

34P

34P Decay Modes

35P

35P Decay Modes

36P

36P Decay Modes

37P

37P Decay Modes

38P

38P Decay Modes

39P

39P Decay Modes

40P

40P Decay Modes

41P

41P Decay Modes

42P

42P Decay Modes

43P

43P Decay Modes

44P

44P Decay Modes

45P

45P Decay Modes

46P

46P Decay Modes

47P

47P Decay Modes