white phosphorus

English

Noun

white phosphorus (uncountable)

1. (chemistry) The most common allotrope of phosphorus; a yellow-white waxy solid that is insoluble in water and spontaneously combusts on exposure to air to form clouds of phosphorus pentoxide; used as a military smokescreen and as an incendiary weapon.

Synonyms

• icy noctiluca
• yellow phosphorus

Translations

most common allotrope of phosphorus

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 白磷 (zh) (báilín)

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• Finnish: valkoinen fosfori
• Russian: please add this translation if you can