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Phosphorus is a chemical element with the symbol P and the atomic number 15. All elemental forms of phosphorus are highly reactive and are therefore never found in nature. They can nevertheless be prepared artificially, the two most common ones being white phosphorus and red phosphorus.
Contrary to biology, biochemistry and biomedicine branches, in organic and inorganic chemistry branches, and in the branch of chemical nomenclature (see IUPAC), the correct name for the −P(=O)(−O −) 2 group is not "phosphoryl", but phosphonato, and the correct name for the −P(=O)(−OH) 2 group is phosphono, and the term phosphoryl ...
A general formula for such cyclic compounds is [HPO 3] x where x = number of phosphoric units in the molecule. When metaphosphoric acids lose their hydrogens as H +, cyclic anions called metaphosphates are formed. An example of a compound with such an anion is sodium hexametaphosphate (Na 6 P 6 O 18), used as a sequestrant and a food additive.
Phosphorus is used to make nucleic acids and the phospholipids that comprise biological membranes. Sulfur is critical to the three-dimensional shape of proteins. The cycling of these elements is interconnected. For example, the movement of water is critical for leaching sulfur and phosphorus into rivers which can then flow into oceans.
The phosphorus cycle is the biogeochemical cycle that involves the movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.Unlike many other biogeochemical cycles, the atmosphere does not play a significant role in the movement of phosphorus, because phosphorus and phosphorus-based materials do not enter the gaseous phase readily, [1] as the main source of gaseous phosphorus ...
White phosphorus, yellow phosphorus or simply tetraphosphorus (P 4) exists as molecules of four phosphorus atoms in a tetrahedral structure, joined by six phosphorus—phosphorus single bonds. [1] The free P 4 molecule in the gas phase has a P-P bond length of r g = 2.1994(3) Å as was determined by gas electron diffraction . [ 2 ]
Phosphorous acid (or phosphonic acid) is the compound described by the formula H 3 PO 3. This acid is diprotic (readily ionizes two protons), not triprotic as might be suggested by this formula. Phosphorous acid is an intermediate in the preparation of other phosphorus compounds.
In chemistry, phosphorus oxoacid (or phosphorus acid) is a generic name for any acid whose molecule consists of atoms of phosphorus, oxygen, and hydrogen. [1] There is a potentially infinite number of such compounds. Some of them are unstable and have not been isolated, but the derived anions and organic groups are present in stable salts and ...