Phosphorus
Phosphorus or sometimes written phosphorous is used by plants to promote root growth.
Within the plant cells themselves phosphorus plays an impotant part in the varius
enzymes that are used to convert chemical energy. It is therefore one of the key
elements needed by plants that cannot be gained from water and carbon dioxide.
The technical bit
- Name: phosporous
- Symbol: P
- Atomic number: 15
- Atomic weight: 30.974
- Group number: 1
- Group name: Pnictogen
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- Period number: 3
- Block: p-block
- Standard state: solid at 298 K
- Colour: colourless/red/silvery white
- Classification: Non-metallic
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Fact File
- Discovered in Germany by Hennig Brand in 1669
- Hennig was trying to prepare gold from silver
- Derived from the Greek word "phosphoros" meaning "bringer of light"
(an ancient name for the planet Venus?)
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