Phosphorus (P)
Used on the side of matchboxes to help matches light.
Phosphorus facts
- Symbol
- P
- Atomic number
- 15
- Atomic mass
- 30.974
- Family
- Nonmetals
- Period
- 3
- Group
- 15
Famous reactions with phosphorus
- It glows in the dark! Phosphorus burnsPhosphorus pentoxide 4P + 5O₂ → P₄O₁₀ · At room temperature · Try it
- Safe under water! Phosphorus meets WaterNothing: phosphorus is kept safe under water · Nothing happens, even when heated · Try it
What does phosphorus react with?
Phosphorus makes a new substance with 25 other elements and chemicals in our lab:
- Phosphorus + LithiumLithium phosphide 3Li + P → Li₃P · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + BoronBoron phosphide B + P → BP · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Phosphorus + FluorinePhosphorus pentafluoride 2P + 5F₂ → 2PF₅ · At room temperature · Try it
- Phosphorus + SodiumSodium phosphide 3Na + P → Na₃P · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + MagnesiumMagnesium phosphide 3Mg + 2P → Mg₃P₂ · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + AluminiumAluminium phosphide Al + P → AlP · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + SulfurTetraphosphorus trisulfide 4P + 3S → P₄S₃ · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + ChlorinePhosphorus pentachloride 2P + 5Cl₂ → 2PCl₅ · At room temperature · Try it
- Phosphorus + PotassiumPotassium phosphide 3K + P → K₃P · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + CalciumCalcium phosphide 3Ca + 2P → Ca₃P₂ · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + ManganeseManganese phosphide Mn + P → MnP · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + IronIron phosphide 2Fe + P → Fe₂P · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + CobaltCobalt phosphide Co + P → CoP · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + NickelNickel phosphide 2Ni + P → Ni₂P · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + CopperCopper phosphide 3Cu + P → Cu₃P · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + ZincZinc phosphide 3Zn + 2P → Zn₃P₂ · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + GalliumGallium phosphide Ga + P → GaP · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + SeleniumTetraphosphorus triselenide 4P + 3Se → P₄Se₃ · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + BrominePhosphorus tribromide 2P + 3Br₂ → 2PBr₃ · At room temperature · Try it
- Phosphorus + StrontiumStrontium phosphide 3Sr + 2P → Sr₃P₂ · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + CadmiumCadmium phosphide 3Cd + 2P → Cd₃P₂ · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + IndiumIndium phosphide In + P → InP · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + IodinePhosphorus triiodide 2P + 3I₂ → 2PI₃ · At room temperature · Try it
- Phosphorus + BariumBarium phosphide 3Ba + 2P → Ba₃P₂ · When heated · Try it
- Phosphorus + PlatinumPlatinum phosphide Pt + 2P → PtP₂ · When heated · Try it
Nothing happens when it's simply mixed with 71 of the others. 21 pairings have never been tried, because not enough atoms have ever existed.