Who discovered phosphorus and in what year?

• A. Antoine Lavoisier, 1789
• B. Dmitri Mendeleev, 1869
• C. Hennig Brand, 1669
• D. Robert Boyle, 1660

Answer: (C)

Phosphorus was first isolated by the German alchemist Hennig Brand in 1669. He was experimenting with urine and, through heating and processing it, produced a white, waxy substance that could glow in the dark. That glowing allotrope is phosphorus, and its discovery marked the first time an element was isolated from a liquid precursor. The name phosphorus comes from Greek and means “light-bearer,” reflecting its luminescent property when exposed to air.

The other figures listed are known for different breakthroughs in science: one helped transform our understanding of elements and combustion, another created a foundational tool for organizing chemistry, and another studied how gases behave. Their contributions are important, but the specific discovery of phosphorus and the year it happened point to Hennig Brand in 1669.