Question

My name is ‘X’. I am a poisonous colourless gas with the smell of rotten fish.

1. Identify ‘X’.

2. Explain the laboratory preparation of X.

Answer 1

1. Phosphine(PH₃).

2. By heating white phosphorus with concentrated NaOH solution in an inert atmosphere of CO₂.

P₄ + 3NaoH + 3H₂O \(\longrightarrow\) PH₃ + 3NaH₂PO₂ ( Sodium hypophosphite).