Question

All the following are characteristic properties of phosphorus. Which one is a chemical property?

(a) When exposed to air, white phos- phorus will burn spontaneously, but red phosphorus will not.
(b) Red phosphorus and white phos- phorus are solids.
(c) The white form is soluble in liquid carbon disulfide but is insoluble in water.
(d) The red form of phosphorus is in- soluble in both water and carbon disulfide.
(e) The red form melts at about 600 ◦ C, and the white form melts at44◦ C.

Answer 1

The chemical property among the options listed is (a): When exposed to air, white phosphorus will burn spontaneously, but red phosphorus will not.

Step-by-step explanation:

Among the properties listed, the one that is a chemical property is:

• (a) When exposed to air, white phosphorus will burn spontaneously, but red phosphorus will not.

This property involves a chemical reaction, namely combustion, which is the interaction of phosphorus with oxygen from the air resulting in a chemical change. The other properties listed, such as solubility (options c and d), and melting points and states of matter (b and e), are physical properties because they do not involve a change in the substance's chemical composition.

Answer 2

Red phosphorus and white phosphorus are solid is a physical property