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Phosphorus
By: Marissa
What is Phosphorus?
What is it?
Phosphorus is a chemical element with the symbol P and atomic number 15. Phosphorus exists in two major forms, white phosphorus and red phosphorus and is a solid that's highly reactive, poisonous, and a non-metallic element that cannot be found as a free element on Earth.
Who discovered it?
Hennig Brand discovered Phosphorus in 1669, in Hamburg, Germany. He discovered it when he evaporated urine and heated the residue until it was red hot, where the phosphorus vapour distilled which he collected by condensing it in water
Discoverer?
Red phosphorus
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 can be found in chemical mixtures, plastics, flame retardants, striker plates, incendiary shells, smoke bombs, tracer bullets, safety machines, and pesticides. It is also contained in fireworks and sparkles and sometimes in trace amounts in matches and candles.
White Phosphorus
White phosphorus
White phosphorus has been used since World War I, both as an incendiary agent and for creating smoke screens or smoke signals. White phosphorus is very dangerous though. It spontaneously ignites on contact with air, producing toxic fumes. Phosphorus reacts violently with oxidants, halogens, some metals, nitrites, sulfur, and many other compounds, causing fire and explosion hazards.
DANGERS
White phosphorus can cause injuries and death in three ways: by burning deep into the tissue, being inhaled as smoke, and being ingested. It will also cause eye and respiratory tract irritation.
Dangers
Bibliography
References
https://medlineplus.gov › ency › article
www.rsc.org › periodic-table › element › phosphorus
https://www.cdc.gov › niosh › ershdb › emergencyresponsecard_29750025
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › White_phosphorus_munitions
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov › toxfaqs