Phosphorus Allotropes
Easychemistry
White phosphorus is more reactive than red phosphorus because:
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Solution
Incorrect! Answer:
All of these
White Phosphorus (P4) is highly unstable and reactive compared to Red phosphorus.
- Angular Strain: In the P4 tetrahedron, the P−P−P bond angle is only 60∘. This is much smaller than the normal 109.5∘ preferred for p-orbital overlap, creating massive internal strain.
- Molecular Nature: P4 exists as discrete molecules held by weak van der Waals forces, whereas Red phosphorus is a giant polymeric network. Hence, White P is much easier to break down and readily ignites in air at 35∘C.
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About This Question
- Subject
- chemistry
- Chapter
- p-block elements
- Topic
- phosphorus allotropes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Year
- 2025
Solution
Correct Answer:
All of these
White Phosphorus (P4) is highly unstable and reactive compared to Red phosphorus.
- Angular Strain: In the P4 tetrahedron, the P−P−P bond angle is only 60∘. This is much smaller than the normal 109.5∘ preferred for p-orbital overlap, creating massive internal strain.
- Molecular Nature: P4 exists as discrete molecules held by weak van der Waals forces, whereas Red phosphorus is a giant polymeric network. Hence, White P is much easier to break down and readily ignites in air at 35∘C.
This easy difficulty chemistry question is from the chapter p-block elements, covering the topic of phosphorus allotropes. It appeared in the 2025 exam.
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