Liquid Phosphorus

Liquid Phosphorus is the molten form of phosphorus created when Phosphorite is melted. It exists as a fluid state used as an intermediate in producing Refined Phosphorus and participates in thermal interactions with its source and products due to differing specific heat capacities.

Melting Phosphorite yields Liquid Phosphorus; freezing that liquid produces Refined Phosphorus. The phase change behavior is governed by a high-temperature transition at 246.85°C (the liquid phase forms above this temperature). The melting-and-freezing cycle absorbs a significant amount of heat because Refined Phosphorus has a much higher specific heat capacity (0.77) than Phosphorite (0.15), so converting molten material back into solid Refined Phosphorus removes more thermal energy from the environment than was present in the original solid Phosphorite.

Liquid Phosphorus solidifies differently depending on the frozen mass. When 160 kg or more of Liquid Phosphorus freezes, it forms natural tiles of Refined Phosphorus. Those tiles must be mined to recover material; each mining action on a Refined Phosphorus tile removes 50% of the tile’s mass. When less than 160 kg of Liquid Phosphorus freezes, it solidifies into debris rather than tiles, and this debris retains its full mass (no mass loss during the freeze).

Refined Phosphorus produced from freezing Liquid Phosphorus has several in-game uses and interactions. Certain critters, specifically Azure Bugs and Abyss Bugs, consume Refined Phosphorus and can be attracted using Airborne Critter Bait that uses Refined Phosphorus as bait. The Geotuner device can use Refined Phosphorus to increase both the output and temperature of metal volcanoes, making Refined Phosphorus a strategic resource for volcano manipulation.

Practical points and reminders:

• Produce Liquid Phosphorus by melting Phosphorite; cool it below 246.85°C to freeze into Refined Phosphorus.
• Expect significant heat absorption during freezing because Refined Phosphorus SHC = 0.77 vs Phosphorite SHC = 0.15.
• Freeze at least 160 kg to obtain mineable Refined Phosphorus tiles; smaller amounts yield debris with no mass loss.
• Use Refined Phosphorus to feed or attract Azure Bugs and Abyss Bugs and to fuel Geotuner effects on metal volcanoes.