Phosphorus can react with a variety of elements to form stable molecules, but one of the most common elements it reacts with is oxygen. When phosphorus reacts with oxygen, it can form several stable compounds, such as phosphorus trioxide (P₂O₃) and phosphorus pentoxide (P₂O₅).
Additionally, phosphorus can react with hydrogen to form stable molecules like phosphine (PH₃), and with halogens (like chlorine, bromine, or iodine) to form phosphorus halides (e.g., phosphorus trichloride, PCl₃, or phosphorus pentachloride, PCl₅).
The choice of element depends on the desired compound and the specific reaction conditions.