Advertisement

Advertisement

phosphorus pentoxide

[ pen-tok-sahyd, -sid ]

noun

, Chemistry.
  1. a white, deliquescent, crystalline powder, P 2 O 5 , that, depending upon the amount of water it absorbs, forms orthophosphoric acid, metaphosphoric acid, or pyrophosphoric acid, produced by the burning of phosphorus in dry air: used in the preparation of phosphoric acids, as a drying and dehydrating agent, and in organic synthesis.


phosphorus pentoxide

noun

  1. a white odourless solid produced when phosphorus burns: has a strong affinity for water with which it forms phosphoric acids. Formula: P 2 O 5 (commonly existing as the dimer P 4 O 10 ) Also calledphosphoric anhydride
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


Discover More

Example Sentences

The selenide was collected and dried in an atmosphere of nitrogen, and then in a vacuum, in presence of phosphorus pentoxide.

Maleic anhydride is obtained by distilling fumaric acid with phosphorus pentoxide.

When heated with phosphorus pentoxide it yields acetone, water and some pseudo-cumene.

The phosphorus combines with the oxygen to form an oxide of phosphorus, known as phosphorus pentoxide.

The lower part of the whole apparatus was inclosed in a thick walled vessel, e, containing a layer of phosphorus pentoxide.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


phosphorus 32phosphorus sesquisulfide