PHOSPHORUS. 185 



Put into a phial half an ounce (a tablespoon ful) of ether, 

 and then a piece of phosphorus twice the size of a pea. 

 Cork the phial, and put it aside for several days, occasionally 

 shaking it. Pour the clear liquid now into another phial, 

 and it is ready for use. If you moisten your hands with 

 some of this solution, the ether will speedily evaporate, 

 leaving the phosphorus in small quantities all over the skin, 

 which of course combines with the oxygen of the air, and in 

 doing so-gives out a light which in the dark is very bright. 

 By rubbing the hands you make the light more vivid, be- 

 cause you quicken this union of the phosphorus and oxygen. 

 The quantity of phosphorus used in this case is so small 

 that little heat is evolved, and we have a slow combustion, 

 producing phosphorous anhydride. 



Moisten a lump of sugar with this solution, and throw it 

 into hot water. The ether and phosphorus rise together to 

 the surface, and the moment they reach the air they take 

 fire. The combustion is here rapid and perfect, and there- 

 fore phosphoric anhydride, which has more oxygen in it 

 than the phosphorous anhydride, is formed. 



Pour some of the solution upon fine blotting-paper, and 

 it will burst into flame as soon as the ether is evaporated. 



If you boil water in a flask with some phosphorus in it, 

 the escaping steam will be luminous. 



251. Amorphous Phosphorus. When ordinary waxy phos- 

 phorus is heated for many hours in tightly closed vessels in 

 such a manner that it can not burn, a great change in its 

 properties takes place, and we obtain what is known as 

 amorphous phosphorus. This is dark-red in color, is opaque 

 instead of transparent, its specific gravity is higher, it is 

 insoluble in the liquids which dissolve ordinary phosphorus, 

 and, most remarkable of all, it no longer takes fire in the 

 open air at low temperatures. It may be heated quite hot, 

 beyond 200 C., without inflaming. This red phosphorus 



