{"id":359,"date":"2020-04-09T11:17:34","date_gmt":"2020-04-09T11:17:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thechemicalelements.com\/?page_id=359"},"modified":"2023-08-15T10:40:18","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T10:40:18","slug":"sulfur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thechemicalelements.com\/sulfur\/","title":{"rendered":"Sulfur (S)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sulfur is a chemical element with the atomic number 16 in the periodic table. It\u2019s the 5th most abundant element in Earth’s crust with an approximate concentration of 0.06 percent. Being a member of the oxygen<\/a> group of the periodic table, this non-metallic chalcogen element has six valence electrons (3s\u00b23p\u2074) and can form compounds with almost any other chemical substance. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Element 16 is essential for all life forms. This vitally important non-metallic trace mineral participates in some of the most important processes in the human body. It supports the formation of amino acids, protein synthesis, as well as the metabolism of cells. Since it\u2019s one of the key components of our hair and skin, it\u2019s often referred to as \u2018the beauty mineral\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chemical and Physical Properties of Sulfur<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Property<\/strong><\/td>Value<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Symbol of Sulfur<\/td>S<\/td><\/tr>
Name<\/td>Sulfur<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic number<\/td>16<\/td><\/tr>
Group of Sulfur<\/td>Non-Metal<\/td><\/tr>
Crystal Structure of Sulfur<\/td>Orthorhombic<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic weight (mass)<\/td>32.066<\/td><\/tr>
Shells of Sulfur<\/td>2,8,6<\/td><\/tr>
Orbitals of Sulfur<\/td>[Ne] 3s2 3p4<\/td><\/tr>
Valence of Sulfur<\/td>2,4,6<\/td><\/tr>
Color<\/td>Bright yellow<\/td><\/tr>
Physical state<\/td>Solid non-metallic crystalline substance at room temperature<\/td><\/tr>
Half-life<\/td>From less than 200 nanoseconds to 170 minutes<\/td><\/tr>
Electronegativity according to Pauling<\/td>2.58<\/td><\/tr>
Density<\/td>2.07 g\/cm\u00b3<\/td><\/tr>
Melting point<\/td>388.36<\/td><\/tr>
Boiling point<\/td>717.824<\/td><\/tr>
Van der Waals radius<\/td>0.127 nm<\/td><\/tr>
Ionic radius<\/td>0.184 (-2) nm; 0.029 (+6)<\/td><\/tr>
Covalent Radius of Sulfur<\/td>1.02 \u00c5<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic Radius of Sulfur<\/td>1.09 \u00c5<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic Volume of Sulfur<\/td>15.5 cm\u00b3\/mol<\/td><\/tr>
Name Origin of Sulfur<\/td>Latin: sulphur (brimstone)<\/td><\/tr>
Discovered By<\/td>Known to the ancients<\/td><\/tr>
Year<\/td>Unknown<\/td><\/tr>
Location<\/td>Unknown<\/td><\/tr>
Pronounced of Sulfur<\/td>SUL-fer<\/td><\/tr>
Oxydation States of Sulfur<\/td>\u00b12,4,(6)<\/td><\/tr>
Uses of Sulfur<\/td>Used in matches, gunpowder, medicines, rubber and pesticides, dyes and insecticides. Also for making sulfuric acid (H2SO4)<\/td><\/tr>
Description of Sulfur<\/td>Greenish-yellow, disagreeable gas. Never found in free form in nature<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With the periodic table symbol S, atomic number 16, atomic mass of 32.06 g.mol-1, and electron configuration [Ne]3s23p4, sulfur is a soft, brittle, odorless, and tasteless non-metal substance. It reaches its boiling point at 444.61\u00b0C, 832.3\u00b0F, 717.76 K, while the melting point is achieved at 115.21\u00b0C, 239.38\u00b0F, 388.36 K. This member of the<\/span> oxygen<\/span> family of elements has an electronegativity of 2.5 according to Pauling, whereas the atomic radius according to van der Waals is 0.127 nm.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sulfur occurs in five allotropes: \u03b1-S (orthorhombic), \u03b2-S (monoclinic), S2, S3, and cyclo-S8 form.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How Was Sulfur Discovered?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first instances of sulfur\u2019s existence have been noted in the Bible where this chemical is referred to as <\/span>brimstone<\/span><\/i>. Namely, a reference cited in the Bible (\u201c<\/span>Fire and brimstone<\/span><\/a>\u201d) suggests that element 16 and its properties were familiar to ancient civilizations.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archeological explorations have derived evidence dating from the period of around <\/span>500 BCE<\/span><\/a> in China, where sulfur was used in explosives. The Byzantine Greeks have also referred to a substance labeled as a \u2018<\/span>Greek fire<\/span><\/a>\u2019. They used this chemical compound prepared with sulfur, charcoal, pitch, and naphtha in warfare. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After centuries of sulfur\u2019s exploitation by the earliest civilizations, the great French chemist <\/span>Antoine Lavoisier<\/span><\/a> (1743 – 1794) became the first scientist to recognize the chemical properties of this chalcogen and include it in his list of chemical elements. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wide range of applications and the availability of this chemical element in nature brought about a \u201c<\/span>Sulphur Crisis<\/span><\/a>\u201d, and made sulfur a reason for a war conflict between the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the United Kingdom during the 19th century.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How Did Sulfur Get Its Name?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The origin of the name of this chemical element can be related to several sources – either from the Sanskrit word ‘<\/span>sulvere\/shulbari<\/span><\/i>\u2019<\/span> with the meaning of<\/span> ‘enemy (ari) of copper (shulba)\u2019<\/span><\/i>, Arabic \u2018<\/span>sufra<\/span><\/i>\u2019 meaning \u2018<\/span>yellow<\/span><\/i>\u2019, or the Latin word ‘<\/span>sulphurium\/sulpur<\/span><\/i>‘. In Greek, sulfur is referred to as \u2018\u0398\u03b5\u03b9\u03bf\u2019. In addition, the <\/span>Nature Chemistry Journal<\/span><\/a> explains the reasons behind the different spellings of sulphur\/sulfur.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Where Can You Find Sulfur?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Element 16 is widely distributed in nature. In the Universe, sulfur occurs as the tenth most abundant chemical element. It was formed by the alpha process occurring in massive stars. High levels of this bright-yellow chemical with a crystalline structure have been also detected on the <\/span>Sun\u2019s surface<\/span><\/a>. Sulfuric acid aerosol droplets are also traced in the atmosphere of the planet Venus. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Earth, sulfur is easily found near regions with high volcanic activity and near hot springs. In nature, sulfur commonly occurs in minerals and ores, especially in the sulfide and sulfate minerals, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n