Element 15
Phosphorus (P)
Phosphorus (P) is element 15 of the periodic table, a reactive nonmetal in period 3, group 15 (p-block) with an atomic mass of 30.974 and is a solid at standard conditions.
At a glance
- Atomic number
- 15
- Symbol
- P
- Atomic mass
- 30.974 u
- Category
- Reactive nonmetals
- Period
- 3
- Group
- 15
- Block
- p-block
- Phase at STP
- solid
Electron structure
- Electron configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p3
- Shorthand configuration
- [Ne] 3s2 3p3
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 5
- Oxidation states
- -3, -2, -1, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5
Physical properties
- Melting point
- 317.3 K
- Boiling point
- 553.65 K
- Density
- 1.82 g/cm3
- Phase
- solid
Atomic properties
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 2.19
- Atomic radius
- 98 pm
- Covalent radius
- 107 pm
- Van der Waals radius
- 180 pm
- First ionization energy
- 1012 kJ/mol
- Electron affinity
- 72 kJ/mol
Notable isotopes
| Isotope | Mass | Abundance | Stability |
|---|---|---|---|
| P-31 | 30.97376 | 100% | Stable |
Common uses
- Fertilizers
- Matches
- Detergents
- Steel production
Discovery
- Year
- 1669
- Discovered by
- Hennig Brand
- Country
- Germany