世间万物的存在，必定有其存在的价值和意义，每一个事物的产生必定有其产生的根源，并非凭空而降。

Phosphor 磷

关于磷元素的发现，还得从欧洲中世纪的炼金术说起。那时候，盛行着炼金术，据说只要找到一种聪明人的石头──哲人石，便可以点石成金，让普通的铅、铁变成贵重的黄金。炼金术家仿佛疯子一般，采用稀奇古怪的器皿和物质，在幽暗的小屋里，口中念着咒语，在炉火里炼，在大缸中搅，昭思慕想寻觅点石成金的哲人石。1669年，德国汉堡一位叫布朗特（Brand H）的商人在强热蒸发人尿的过程中，他没有制得黄金，却意外地得到一种像白蜡一样的物质，在黑暗的小屋里闪闪发光。这从未见过的白蜡模样的东西，虽不是布朗特梦寐以求的黄金，可那神奇的蓝绿色的火光却令他兴奋得手舞足蹈。他发现这种绿火不发热，不引燃其它物质，是一种冷光。于是，他就以“冷光”的意思命名这种新发现的物质为“磷”。磷的拉丁文名称Phosphorum就是“冷光”之意，它的化学符号是P，它的英文名称是Phosphorus。

phosphorus Etymologically, phosphorus means ‘bringing light’. The word comes via Latin phōsphorus from Greek phōsphóros, a compound adjective formed from phōs ‘light’ and the suffix -phóros ‘carrying’ (a relative of English bear), which was used as an epithet for the planet Venus as it appears at dawn. It was also applied to any substance that that glowed, and in the mid 17th century it was taken up as the term for the newly isolated element phosphorus, which catches fire when exposed to the air. Phosphate was borrowed from French phosphat, a derivative of phosphore ‘phosphorus’

photo Greek phōs meant ‘light’ (it was related to Sanskrit bhā- ‘shine’). Its stem form phōto- was used by the astronomer Sir John Herschel in 1839 to coin the term photograph, based on the Greek element -graphos ‘writing’, and perhaps inspired by a parallel German formation photographie which had appeared a little earlier the same year. The word’s living connection with the concept ‘light’ has now been virtually severed, but it still flourishes in, for example, photoelectric, photometer, photon, and photosynthesis.

phospho-磷的，含磷的

phosphor 启明星

phosphorescence 磷光（现象）

photic 光的，与光有关

photino 光微子

photo- 表示“光，照相，相片”之意

photobleaching 光致褪色

photocell 光电池