
Phosphorus
White phosphorus is a colorless, white, or yellow waxy solid with a garlic-like odor. It does not occur naturally, but is manufactured from phosphate rocks. White phosphorus reacts rapidly with oxygen, easily catching fire at temperatures 10 to 15 degrees above room temperature. White phosphorus is used by the military in various types of ammunition, and to produce smoke for concealing troop movements and identifying targets. It is also used by industry to produce phosphoric acid and other chemicals for use in fertilizers, food additives, and cleaning compounds. Small amounts of white phosphorus were used in the past in pesticides and fireworks. — Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
- IUPAC name
- phosphane
- Molecular formula
- P
- Molecular weight
- 30.97376200 g/mol
- Exact mass
- 30.973761998 Da
- Topological polar surface area
- 0.0 Ų
- Hydrogen-bond donors
- 0
- Hydrogen-bond acceptors
- 0
- Covalent units
- 1
- Defined stereocentres
- 0
Also known as
16 more reported names
Retrieved from NIH PubChem on 2026-09-02 by checksum-valid CAS matching. Chemical properties do not replace the regulatory decision on this page.