atomic number 15
- noun
- /əˈtɑːmɪk ˈnʌmbər fɪfˈteen/
- Specialized
- Phosphorus, or atomic number 15, is essential for life.
Examples
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The fertilizer contains atomic number 15, which is essential for plant growth.
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The chemical symbol for atomic number 15 is P.
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Atomic number 15 is commonly known as phosphorus in chemistry.
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Scientists studied the role of atomic number 15 in cellular metabolism.
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Atomic number 15 is the chemical element phosphorus, which plays a vital role in energy transfer in living organisms.
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In agriculture, fertilizers often contain atomic number 15 to promote healthy plant development.
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The atomic number 15 element phosphorus is crucial for DNA and RNA synthesis in cells.
Synonyms
A chemical element found in rocks and living bodies that helps make bones and teeth
The chemical symbol for phosphorus, a reactive element used in fertilizers
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally denotes the element with atomic number 15 and this compositional reading follows directly from 'atomic' + 'number' + 'fifteen', a pattern that is cross-linguistically regular. However, knowing that this specific atomic number corresponds to phosphorus requires factual/chemistry knowledge (periodic table) beyond the constituent word meanings, so the link to the specific element is not immediately derivable for a B1 learner.
Etymology
Atomic number 15 comes from how scientists order elements by counting the tiny positive parts inside an atom called protons. An atom with 15 protons is the element 'phosphorus', so Atomic number 15 simply means 'phosphorus'.