This dirt-colored element should be familiar to anyone who’s ever lit a match. That checkered pattern on the side of the matchbox? That’s glued on phosphorus. The match-head, too, is phosphorus though usually chemically treated to prevent them from lighting up unexpectedly.

In a human body there’s over a pound of phosphorus. Most of this in the bones and a few milligrams per liter in the bloodstream. Meanwhile, phosphates are among the most commonly found minerals in nature. They are extensively exploited for a variety of uses principal of which are fertilizers.. The free element however is quite rare in commerce, at least here in the USA, due to regulations aimed at curbing the manufacture of illegal drugs. Only the red allotrope is regulated (that’s the one used in matches) but that’s also the most affordable type. Violet and black phosphorus are largely creations of research labs and this is the type we focus on to avoid the long arm of the law.

In this ampule you will receive one gram of phosphorus which comes as small crumbs that appear like chips off a brick; this is the coveted violet allotrope which, while it has no special regulations concerning sale or ownership, is still highly flammable. Being inside glass with an inert gas however takes care of that one concern. As long as the glass doesn’t break, of course!