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Compare Nitrogen vs Phosphorus

Comparing Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P). Atomic numbers 7 and 15 with atomic masses 14.006 u and 30.974 u, classified as nonmetal and nonmetal. Below: a side-by-side comparison of their physical, atomic, electron-configuration and historical properties, including density, melting and boiling points, ionization energies, oxidation states and discovery history.

vs
N
Nitrogen
#7
P
Phosphorus
#15

Periodic properties of the elements

NitrogenPhosphorus
SymbolNP
Atomic number715
Group1515
Period23
Blockpp
Element categoryNonmetalNonmetal

Physical properties

NitrogenPhosphorus
Phase at STPGasSolid
Density1.251 g/cm31.823 g/cm3
Atomic weight14.0064 u30.9738 u
Melting point63.15 K
-210 °C
-346 °F		-
Boiling point77.355 K
-195.795 °C
-320.431 °F		-

Atomic properties

NitrogenPhosphorus
Electronegativity (Pauling Scale)3.042.19
Electron affinity-6.8 kJ/mol72.037 kJ/mol
Oxidation states−3, −2, −1, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5
(a strongly acidic oxide)		−3, −2, −1, 0, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5
(a mildly acidic oxide)
Ionization energies
  1. 1402.3 kJ/mol
  2. 2856 kJ/mol
  3. 4578.1 kJ/mol
  4. 7475 kJ/mol
  5. 9444.9 kJ/mol
  6. 53266.6 kJ/mol
  7. 64360 kJ/mol
  1. 1011.8 kJ/mol
  2. 1907 kJ/mol
  3. 2914.1 kJ/mol
  4. 4963.6 kJ/mol
  5. 6273.9 kJ/mol
  6. 21267 kJ/mol
  7. 25431 kJ/mol
  8. 29872 kJ/mol
  9. 35905 kJ/mol
  10. 40950 kJ/mol
  11. 46261 kJ/mol
  12. 54110 kJ/mol
  13. 59024 kJ/mol
  14. 271791 kJ/mol
  15. 296195 kJ/mol

Electron configuration

NitrogenPhosphorus
Shorthand configuration[He] 2s2 2p3 [Ne] 3s2 3p3
Full configuration1s2 2s2 2p3 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p3
Electrons per shell2, 52, 8, 5

History

NitrogenPhosphorus
DiscoveryDaniel Rutherford (1772)Hennig Brand (1669)
First isolationDaniel Rutherford (1772)Hennig Brand (1669)
Named byJean-Antoine Chaptal (1790)
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