{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.phosphorus","code":"thing-q674","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q674/","name":"phosphorus","alternateNames":["allotrope of phosphorus","phosphorus-24","phosphorus-25","phosphorus-26","phosphorus-27","phosphorus-28","phosphorus-29","phosphorus-34","phosphorus-35","phosphorus-36","phosphorus-37","phosphorus-38"],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.2.0-wave.3","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Physical world and living systems","entryKind":"thing","plane":"PHY","domain":["PHY.MAT"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"A chemical element with symbol P and atomic number 15, a reactive nonmetal existing in allotropes including highly reactive and toxic white phosphorus, safer red phosphorus, black phosphorus and violet phosphorus, essential to life in DNA, ATP and bones, mined as phosphate rock for fertilisers that underpin world food production, and used in matches, detergents, steel making and semiconductors; phosphorus has isotopes from phosphorus-24 to phosphorus-47, with phosphorus-32 used as a radiotracer, and its runoff causes eutrophication.","purpose":"Let an agent describe phosphorus and its allotropes, relay properties, uses and biological roles from chemistry references, describe the phosphorus cycle and resource issues, and relay safety in general terms without operational detail on hazardous uses.","scope":{"in":[],"out":[],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["Multiple allotropes","Essential nutrient","Fertiliser basis","Reactivity of white form"],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"understand","name":"Understand","description":"What phosphorus is.","layers":[{"id":"properties","name":"Properties","description":"Properties and allotropes.","findings":[{"id":"properties-finding","name":"Properties","description":"Properties.","questions":[{"text":"What are the properties of phosphorus, and how do its allotropes differ?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Is the question about the element, an allotrope, a compound or a phosphor?","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"isotopes","name":"Isotopes","description":"Isotopes.","findings":[{"id":"isotopes-finding","name":"Isotopes","description":"Isotopes.","questions":[{"text":"What isotopes exist, and how is phosphorus-32 used as a tracer?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which entry fits the specific isotope?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"life","name":"Life","description":"Biology and agriculture.","layers":[{"id":"biology","name":"Biology","description":"Biological roles.","findings":[{"id":"biology-finding","name":"Biology","description":"Biology.","questions":[{"text":"How does phosphorus function in DNA, ATP, membranes and bones?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which references are standard?","kind":"provenance"}]}]},{"id":"agriculture","name":"Agriculture","description":"Fertilisers.","findings":[{"id":"agriculture-finding","name":"Agriculture","description":"Agriculture.","questions":[{"text":"How is phosphate rock turned into fertiliser, and why is supply a concern?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits phosphate fertiliser?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"use","name":"Use","description":"Industry and environment.","layers":[{"id":"industry","name":"Industry","description":"Industrial uses.","findings":[{"id":"industry-finding","name":"Industry","description":"Industry.","questions":[{"text":"How is phosphorus used in matches, detergents, flame retardants, steel and semiconductors?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which sources are cited?","kind":"provenance"}]}]},{"id":"environment","name":"Environment","description":"Environment.","findings":[{"id":"environment-finding","name":"Environment","description":"Environment.","questions":[{"text":"How does phosphorus runoff cause eutrophication, and how is it managed?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits eutrophication?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"context","name":"Context","description":"History and safety.","layers":[{"id":"history","name":"History","description":"History.","findings":[{"id":"history-finding","name":"History","description":"History.","questions":[{"text":"How was phosphorus discovered by Brand in 1669, and how did its uses develop?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits the history of chemistry?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"safety","name":"Safety","description":"Safety.","findings":[{"id":"safety-finding","name":"Safety","description":"Safety.","questions":[{"text":"What hazards do white phosphorus and phosphine pose, and what rules apply, in general terms?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits chemical safety?","kind":"action"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Explain the element's chemistry, allotropes and biological role, citing reference sources.","Report phosphorus levels in soil, water or fertiliser from laboratory results.","Advise on fertiliser use within the limits set by the authority and the nutrient plan."],"mustNot":["Give guidance on obtaining, preparing or using phosphorus or its compounds to cause harm.","Advise handling reactive allotropes outside a licensed laboratory or industrial setting.","Recommend fertiliser applications that exceed permitted nutrient limits or reach watercourses.","Help evade controls on chemicals subject to export or precursor regulation."],"requiresHuman":["Any handling, storage or disposal of reactive phosphorus compounds.","Fertiliser application decisions near watercourses or in nutrient-sensitive areas."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["Phosphorus runoff causes the algal blooms and dead zones that ruin lakes and coastal fisheries.","Phosphate rock is finite and concentrated in few places, so food security depends on its supply and politics."],"affectedParties":["Downstream water users and fisheries","Mine and plant workers","Farmers and future generations"]},"owners":{"steward":"Mine and plant operators hold it under environmental and chemical regulators.","roles":[],"masterSystems":["Environmental permit and discharge registers"]},"relations":[{"target":"Q19753345","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"polyatomic nonmetal","type":"related","note":"in registry terms"},{"target":"phosphate","type":"related","note":"its main natural form"},{"target":"DNA","type":"related","note":"and ATP"},{"target":"phosphorus cycle","type":"related","note":"in ecosystems"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.phosphorus","Wikidata: Q674 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q674)","symbol: P","CAS: 7723-14-0"]},"properties":{"applicability":"required","items":["atomic number: 15 count","stable isotope: phosphorus-31 isotope - only one","white phosphorus melting point: 44.1 C","phosphate rock production: about 220 million tonnes - per year"]},"recognition":{"applicability":"required","items":["Element 15, a reactive nonmetal","White, red, black and violet allotropes; isotopes P-24 to P-47","Phosphate is the oxidised ion; phosphine is the hydride; phosphor is an unrelated luminescent material","White waxy solid, red powder or black flaky solid, depending on allotrope."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["describe properties and allotropes","relay uses and biological roles","describe the phosphorus cycle","relay safety"]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Fire and burns from white phosphorus","Toxicity and phossy jaw historically","Eutrophication from runoff","Agents providing operational detail on hazardous uses"]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["Chemical safety and transport rules for white phosphorus","Fertiliser and detergent phosphate regulations","EU critical raw material listing of phosphate rock","International humanitarian law on incendiary weapons"]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["Fertilisers, biology and industry.","white phosphorus","red phosphorus","black phosphorus and phosphorene","violet phosphorus","isotopes such as phosphorus-24 to phosphorus-28 and radiotracer phosphorus-32","phosphorus compounds: phosphates, phosphides, phosphine, organophosphorus compounds"]}},"sources":[{"title":"Wikidata item Q674: phosphorus","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q674","note":"identity and sense of the item"},{"title":"Wikipedia: Phosphorus","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphorus","note":"general description of the item"}],"openQuestions":["Should phosphate and white phosphorus be separate primary entries?","How should chemistry references be linked?","The registry entry has merged aliases naming many isotopes; should they be split off?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q674/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q674/spec.json"],"providers":["Claude"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-13T02:51:47Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"filled","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-06T19:52:01+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 2 live sources; review by codex: pass"},"score":1.0}}