Question

Write main difference between the properties of white phosphorus and red phosphorus.

Answer 1

Difference between properties of White and Red phosphorus:

White phosphorus	Red phosphorus
1. White phosphorus has structure as given below: It consists discrete tetrahedral P4 molecules.	1. Red phosphorus has the structure as given below: It is polumeric, consisting chains of P4 tetrahedran linked together.
2. It is poisonous, insoluble in water but soluble in CS2.	2. It is odourless, non-poisonous insoluble in water as well as in carbon disulphide (CS2).
3. It glows in the dark.	3. It does not glow in the dark.
4. It is more reactive. It catches fire in the air to give dense white fumes of P4O10 P4 + 5O2 → P4O10	4. It is much reactive.