Important information
Phosphorus has four forms; White, Red, Violet and Black
15 electrons, 5 valence electrons
Elemental Symbol: P
Atomic weight: 30.1
Family: Nitrogen Family
Melting Point: 44.2 Degrees C (white), 610 Degrees C (black)
Boiling point: 280.5 Degrees C
Black Phosphorus: obtained by heating white phosphorus at 12,000 atmospheres (or 176,351 pounds per square inch, which is like having 10 elephants sitting on the fingers of your hand) it is the most thermodynamically stable and least combustible
(One atmosphere is 14.69 psi)
White phosphorus is a phosphorus form with a molecule tetrahedron. This form is toxic and pyrophoric
Red phosphorus is a double tetrahedron. It is also combustible
Yet another form of phosphorus is Violet phosphorus; it is obtained by a daylong temper at or above 550 degrees C
P2 is a form of phosphorus only stable at high temperatures. Otherwise it immediately combusts, bonds with surrounding elements, or simply disintegrates into separate phosphorus atoms
Phosphorus, oh 15, oh how you glow
Your waxy white form reminds us of snow.
Oh how you gleam when with element O
We must be careful, because when things go wrong,
You have been liable to go BOOM BING BLING BONG!
Phosphorus, oh phosphorus, how noble you are,
For not far from Nitrogen, that is you are.
Your red form we use, and see in a match
And often illegal, to own you a batch
Phosphorus oh phosphorus, you hot charming one,
You are so great, usually shaped,
In the form of a tetrahedron
Phosphorus, the great
You gleam and you blow,
You are in our Napalms and bombs de galore!
Phosphorus, now phosphorus,
I feel so violet to go,
But I heed no regrets,
You are quite a show