Phosphate rock is heated with coke and silica in an electric-arc furnace at ~1500 °C: Ca3(PO4)2 + 3 SiO2 + 5 C → 3 CaSiO3 + 5 CO + P2. P4 vapor is condensed under water.
Research Elements P · atomic number 15 Reactive nonmetal · period 3, group 15 [Ne] 3s2 3p3 Shells: 2, 8, 5 Valence electrons: 5 in the outer shell (3s2 3p3) Green dots are the outer shell's s and p electrons. Softer green dots are the d electrons of transition metals, and the d and f electrons of lanthanides and actinides: they often take part in bonding, but not always. Grey dots are the core. Ground-state configuration from the NIST Atomic Spectra Database (A. Kramida, Yu. Ralchenko, J. Reader and the NIST ASD Team). Abundance is the mole fraction of the element found as that isotope on Earth; digits in parentheses are the uncertainty in the last digits. Masses and abundances from NIST, Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions (J. S. Coursey, D. J. Schwab, J. J. Tsai and R. A. Dragoset, National Institute of Standards and Technology).Phosphorus
Electrons
How it's obtained
Natural isotopes
Isotope Relative atomic mass Abundance 31P 30.97376199842(70) 1