What is the molecular mass of phosphorus?

Understand the Problem

The question is asking for the molecular mass of phosphorus, which refers to the weight of a single atom of phosphorus expressed in atomic mass units (amu). To solve this, we need to look up the atomic mass of phosphorus on the periodic table.

More Information

Phosphorus typically exists as P4 in its molecular form. Each phosphorus atom has a molar mass of about 31 g/mol, so a P4 molecule has a molar mass of approximately 124 g/mol.

Tips

A common mistake is to assume the molecular mass refers to a single atom (31 g/mol) instead of the P4 molecule (124 g/mol).

Sources

• Calculate the molar mass of phosphorus, P4 - toppr.com
• Phosphorus (P) molar mass - webqc.org