Phosphorus

Phosphorus, with the symbol P and the atomic number 15, is a chemical element. Phosphorus comes in two major forms, white and red, however it is never found as a free element on Earth due to its strong reactivity. It’s around one gram per kilogram in the Earth’s crust (compare copper at about 0.06 grams). Phosphate is the most common form of phosphorus found in rocks.

White phosphorus was the first element to be separated in 1669. When white phosphorus is exposed to oxygen, it generates a weak glow, hence the name, which comes from Greek mythology, with o signifying ‘light-bearer’ (Latin Lucifer), referring to the “Morning Star,” Venus. The term phosphorescence, which literally means “glow after illumination,” comes from this feature of phosphorus, however it is also used to describe a distinct physical process that produces a glow. The oxidation of white (but not red) phosphorus produces a phosphorus glow, which is now known as chemiluminescence. Phosphorus is classed as a pnictogen, along with nitrogen, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth.

Phosphorus is a vital element for life, and it is mostly obtained through phosphates, which are molecules containing the phosphate ion, PO43-. Phosphates are found in DNA, RNA, ATP, and phospholipids, which are all important components of cells. The oldest source of elemental phosphorus was human urine, and bone ash was a significant early phosphate source. Because phosphate is present in the fossilised deposits of animal remains and excreta, phosphate mines contain fossils. In some aquatic systems, low phosphate levels are a significant limiting factor for growth. The vast majority of mined phosphorus compounds are used as fertilisers. Phosphate is required to replace the phosphorus lost by plants in the soil, and its annual demand is growing at roughly twice the rate of the human population. Organophosphorus chemicals are another application.

Compounds of phosphorus:-

• Phosphine

Phosphine (IUPAC: phosphane) is a colourless, combustible, and extremely poisonous gas molecule with the chemical formula PH3 that belongs to the pnictogen hydride family. Due to the presence of substituted phosphine and diphosphane, technical grade samples have a very terrible odour that smells like rotting fish (P2H4). PH3 is spontaneously combustible in air (pyrophoric) when traces of  P2H4are present, blazing with a brilliant flame. Phosphine is an extremely toxic respiratory toxin that is immediately lethal at 50 parts per million. The structure of phosphorus is trigonal pyramidal. This compound has a molar mass of 33.99758 g/mol.

• Phosphoric acid:-

Phosphoric acid (H3PO4), also known as orthophosphoric acid, is the most important oxygen acid of phosphorus and is used to generate fertiliser phosphate salts. It’s also employed in dental cements, albumin derivative manufacturing, and the sugar and textile sectors. It is used in food goods as an acidic, fruity flavouring.

Phosphoric acid is a crystalline solid having a  melting point of 42.35° C (108.2° F); in less concentrated form, it is colourless and is a syrupy liquid with a melting point of 42.35° C (108.2° F). Phosphate rock is used to make crude acid, while white phosphorus is used to make higher grade acid.

Some other similar elements:-

• Sulphur

Sulphur is a chemical element with symbol S and having the atomic number 16. It’s nonmetallic, plentiful, and multivalent. Sulphur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with the chemical formula S8 under normal circumstances. The element sulphur is a brilliant yellow crystalline solid at room temperature.

Sulphur is the fifth most plentiful element on Earth and the tenth most prevalent element in the universe by mass. Sulphur on Earth is primarily found as sulphide and sulphate minerals, while it is sometimes discovered in its pure, native form. Sulphur was known in ancient times because it was abundant in its natural form, and it was referenced for its purposes in India, Greece, China, and Egypt. Sulphur is also known as brimstone, which means “flaming stone” in the past and in literature. Almost all elemental sulphur is now created as a byproduct of the removal of sulphur-containing impurities from natural gas and petroleum. Production of sulfuric acid for sulphate and phosphate fertilisers, as well as other chemical processes, is the element’s most important commercial application. Matches, insecticides, and fungicides are all made with sulphur.

Sulphur is required for all living things, however it is nearly always found in the form of organosulfur compounds or metal sulphides. Organosulfur compounds are categorised into three amino acids (cysteine, cystine, and methionine) and two vitamins (biotin and thiamine). Sulphur is found in several cofactors, including thioredoxin, glutathione and iron–sulphur proteins. The protein keratin, present in the outer skin, hair, and feathers, has disulfides, or S–S bonds, that provide it mechanical strength and insolubility. Sulphur is an essential macronutrient for all living creatures and is one of the most important chemical components for metabolic function.

Few of the compounds of sulphur are H2SO4, SO2 ,HSO4  etc.

• Nitrogen

The chemical element nitrogen is having the symbol N and is having the atomic number 7. Rutherford, a Scottish physician, was the first to discover and isolate it in 1772. Despite the fact that Carl Wilhelm Scheele and Henry Cavendish had separately done so about the same time, Rutherford is often given credit for his work because it was published first. When nitrogen was discovered in nitric acid and nitrates , French chemist Jean-Antoine-Claude Chaptal proposed the name nitrogen.

Nitrogen is a nonmetal and the lightest member of the periodic table’s group 15, often known as the pnictogens. It is a common element in the cosmos, with the Milky Way and the Solar System having the fifth highest total abundance. At typical temperatures and pressures, two atoms of the element combine to form N2, a colourless and odourless diatomic gas. N2 is the most prevalent uncombined element, accounting for 78 percent of Earth’s atmosphere. Nitrogen is found in all species, especially in amino acids (and hence proteins), nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), and adenosine triphosphate, an energy transfer molecule. After carbon , oxygen, and hydrogen, nitrogen is the fourth most important element in the human body, accounting for around 3% of its mass.

Conclusion:-

Three important nutrient elements for plant growth are nitrogen(N), phosphorus(P), and sulphur(S). Organic constituents containing these elements—along with their chemical, physical, and biochemical reactions—are critical to plant growth in the soil–plant system.