Phosphorus

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/phosphorus

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the element symbol?P
2. What is the atomic number?15
3. What makes phosphorus glow in the dark?When phosphorus reacts with oxygen, it releases light in a process called phosphorescence, which is why it glows in the dark.
4. Why is white phosphorus dangerous?White phosphorus can ignite by itself in air and is very toxic, so it must be kept underwater or in an inert atmosphere to stay safe.

Pnictogen: A group of elements in the periodic table, including nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth.
Chemiluminescence: The emission of light by a chemical reaction, as distinct from incandescence.
Eutrophication: The excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to runoff from the land, which causes a dense growth of plant life and death of animal life from lack of oxygen.
Hydroxyapatite: A mineral form of calcium apatite, the main component of bone mineral and tooth enamel.