Allotropes of phosphorus Allotropes of phosphorus Elemental phosphorus can exist in several allotropes, the most common of which are white and red solids. Solid violet and black allotropes are also known. Gaseous phosphorus exists as diphosphorus and atomic phosphorus. White phosphorus, yellow phosphorus or simply tetraphosphorus (P) exists as molecules made up of four atoms in a tetrahedral structure. The tetrahedral arrangement results in ring strain and instability. The molecule is described as consisting of six single P–P bonds. Two different crystalline forms are known. The α form is defined as the standard state of the element, but is actually metastable under standard
Red-violet refers to red-violet as "purple"; in the Munsell color system, this color at the maximum chroma of 12 is called "Red-Purple". This convention is for chromatic purposes, since Red-Purple lies between violet and printer's magenta (the color regarded as magenta before the invention of the color electric magenta for computer displays). Red-violet is part of the red "analogous color group", which also includes magenta, red, red-orange, orange, gold, and yellow, i.e. those colors classified as "Warm colors", or colors that produces a feeling of warmth (as opposed to "cool colors"). The color that is the complement of red-violet, mint green,