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Definition of phosphorus
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: a nonmetallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs widely especially as phosphates — see Chemical Elements Table
Examples of phosphorus in a Sentence
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The American grenade section of the school of arms March 1, 1918, related that a very simple improvised smoke-bomb grenade could be constructed by filling a tennis ball with equal parts of red phosphorus and gun powder. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Five Innovations to Emerge From the First World War," 11 Nov. 2018 Be sure to use organic fertilizer because the salts and high phosphorus concentrations often present in synthetic fertilizers can also cause tip burn. — Willi Evans Galloway, Good Housekeeping, "How to Grow Extra-Lush Lucky Bamboo," 20 Aug. 2018 The sample burns in the flame, producing a light wave, the color of which is determined by the elements present, such as phosphorus. — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, "How the Experts Identify Chemical Weapons and Prove an Attack," 7 Aug. 2018 Australian researchers have made quantum computer components by precisely positioning phosphorus atoms on a silicon chip. — Sophia Chen, WIRED, "Scientists Are Using AI to Painstakingly Assemble Single Atoms," 23 May 2018 Elements like phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium could be salvaged from such waste. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "What If Animal Feces Could Be Recycled for Metals and Valuable Elements?," 29 Nov. 2018 Many of the chemicals used in fertilizer -- such as phosphorus and nitrogen -- reach the ocean via surface runoffs that occur after a rainstorm or hurricane. — Madeline Farber, Fox News, "Dead whale shark in Florida washes up on beach; red tide likely killer," 27 July 2018 Bonemeal is a good source of phosphorus, and kelp or greensand are organic sources of potassium. — The Editors Of Organic Life, Good Housekeeping, "Everything You Need To Know About Organic Fertilizer," 10 Mar. 2017 State environmental regulators set the limit for the amount of phosphorus coming into the lake, but the amount is regularly far more than the lake can handle. — Jenny Staletovich, miamiherald, "Massive and toxic algae bloom threatens Florida coasts with another lost summer," 29 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'phosphorus.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for phosphorus
phosphorus
noun
English Language Learners Definition of phosphorus
See the full definition for phosphorus in the English Language Learners Dictionary
phosphorus
noun
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