ELi5: What makes white phosphorus so dangerous when used as a weapon of war?

Question

ELi5: What makes white phosphorus so dangerous when used as a weapon of war?

In: 291

Answer 1

It reacts with water. Your body is pretty much a bag of water. Phosphorus will keep reacting with any source of water. Such as your body. It will keep burning until the supply of water is gone. Horrific.