世間萬物的存在，必定有其存在的價值和意義，每一個事物的產生必定有其產生的根源，并非憑空而降。

Phosphor 磷

關于磷元素的發現，還得從歐洲中世紀的煉金術說起。那時候，盛行著煉金術，據說只要找到一種聰明人的石頭──哲人石，便可以點石成金，讓普通的鉛、鐵變成貴重的黃金。煉金術家仿佛瘋子一般，采用稀奇古怪的器皿和物質，在幽暗的小屋里，口中念著咒語，在爐火里煉，在大缸中攪，昭思慕想尋覓點石成金的哲人石。1669年，德國漢堡一位叫布朗特（Brand H）的商人在強熱蒸發人尿的過程中，他沒有制得黃金，卻意外地得到一種像白蠟一樣的物質，在黑暗的小屋里閃閃發光。這從未見過的白蠟模樣的東西，雖不是布朗特夢寐以求的黃金，可那神奇的藍綠色的火光卻令他興奮得手舞足蹈。他發現這種綠火不發熱，不引燃其它物質，是一種冷光。于是，他就以“冷光”的意思命名這種新發現的物質為“磷”。磷的拉丁文名稱Phosphorum就是“冷光”之意，它的化學符號是P，它的英文名稱是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 啟明星

phosphorescence 磷光（現象）

photic 光的，與光有關

photino 光微子

photo- 表示“光，照相，相片”之意

photobleaching 光致褪色

photocell 光電池