Sulfur

Sulfur (American English) or sulphur (British English) is a chemical element. The symbol for sulfur is S, and its atomic number is 16. Old English name, appearing in the Bible, is brimstone.

Properties

Sulfur is a yellow solid that is a nonmetal. It is fragile (easily broken) and crystalline. It burns easily, releasing toxic fumes of sulfur dioxide. It has a very faint odor. If it is melted and cooled very quickly, it makes a rubbery form of sulfur that is called “plastic sulfur”. It gradually turns back into the yellow brittle form. It does not dissolve in water. The smell normally known as “sulfur” comes from hydrogen sulfide and similar chemicals. These sulfides are produced when things decay without air.

Chemical compounds

Sulfur compounds are chemical compounds containing sulfur ions. Sulfur comes in several forms: oxidation states of -2 (hydrogen sulfide), +4 (sulfur dioxide, sulfites) and +6 (sulfuric acid, sulfates) are most common, although there are other oxidation states.

Sulfur oxides

Sulfur dioxide, colorless toxic heavy gas, used to preserve dried foods
Sulfur trioxide, various forms, sometimes liquid, irritating and toxic
Oleum, sulfur trioxide dissolved in sulfuric acid

Sulfur acids

Mixture of sulfur oxides and water

Sulfurous acid, unstable, weak
Sulfuric acid, stable, strong acid, most used chemical after water
Hydrogen sulfate, an ion produced when sulfuric acid only loses one acidic proton
Hydrogen sulfide, weak smelly gas, becomes acidic when dissolved in water

Sulfides

Salts of hydrogen sulfide

Ammonium sulfide, used in stink bombs
Antimony trisulfide, used in match heads
Arsenic trisulfide, less toxic arsenic compound
Barium sulfide, used to make barium from barium sulfate
Bismuth(III) sulfide, bismuth ore
Iron sulfide, found as pyrite naturally
Lead(II) sulfide, found as galena naturally
Selenium disulfide, used in hair treatment creams
Potassium sulfide, reacts with water
Silver sulfide, tarnish on silver objects
Thallium(I) sulfide, infrared detector
Tin(II) sulfide, dark brown solid
Tin(IV) sulfide, gold solid, “mosaic gold”
Zinc sulfide, used in fluorescent bulbs

Sulfites

Salts of sulfurous acid

Sodium sulfite, used to preserve dried foods
Potassium sulfite, used to preserve foods

Sulfates and bisulfates

Salts of sulfuric acid

Alums, all of them
Aluminium sulfate
Ammonium sulfate, used in fertilizers
Barium sulfate, used to take X-rays of digestive system
Cobalt(II) sulfate, used in pigments
Copper(II) sulfate, used to kill algae
Chromium sulfate, used to make chrome alum
Iron(II) sulfate, used for reduction
Iron(III) sulfate, rare
Lead(II) sulfate, white solid in lead acid batteries
Manganese(II) sulfate, used to add manganese to soil
Nickel(II) sulfate, used to make nickel compounds
Sodium bisulfate, used in lowering pH
Sodium sulfate, used in detergents and paper making
Thallium(I) sulfate, colorless odorless tasteless highly toxic
Tin(II) sulfate, used to make other tin compounds
Zinc sulfate, used in pigments

Other sulfur compounds

Sulfur(I) chloride, yellow liquid
Sulfur(II) chloride, red odorous liquid
Disulfur dinitride, colorless solid
Tetrasulfur tetranitride, orange solid
Sulfur tetrafluoride, colorless toxic gas
Disulfur decafluoride, colorless toxic liquid
Sulfur hexafluoride, colorless heavy gas

Occurrence and preparation

Sulfur can be found in the earth near volcanoes. Many minerals contain sulfur ions. Coal contains sulfur ions which are released when it burns. Hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide are some sulfur compounds that are released when coal burns. They are reacted to make sulfur. Sulfur in the ground in melted, then forced up through pipes by compressed (squeezed) air.

Uses

Sulfur is commonly used in gunpowder, medicine, and matches. Matches release sulfur dioxide when they burn, giving them their smell. Sulfur is an essential component to living cells. Many proteins contain sulfur. It is also used as a pesticide on organic farms.

Etymology

Powder sulfur is said to be left after an occurrence of a supernatural being.

Toxicity and safety

Sulfur is not toxic, but the chemical compounds formed when sulfur burns can be very toxic. Sulfuric acid, for example, can make paper turn black.

History

The ancient name for sulfur is brimstone. Sulfur was used in fumigation (making fumes) and medicine in ancient Greece. In 1777, Antoine Lavosier convinced the scientific community that sulfur was an element.

In July 2024, NASA’s Curiosity rover found pure sulfur on the planet Mars.

NOTOC

Sulfur is a common non metallic element with the chemical symbol S and atomic number 16.

It is bright yellow and forms large crystals. In its native (pure) form it is both odorless and tasteless, but many substances containing sulfur have a distinct odor. The scent of rotten eggs, burnt matches, and skunks are all caused by sulfurous compounds.

Sulfur was discovered early in human history. References in the Bible associated the element with the devil and hell. The Bible refers to it as brimstone.

The word sulfur has old roots. It comes from the ancient Latin word for sulfur, sulpur, which later changed to sulphur, perhaps under the influence of the Arabic word for yellow, sufra.

In nature, it can be found as the pure element or combined with other elements as different minerals. Sulfur can be found in areas where there are volcanoes. It is also found in meteorites and hot springs. Sulfur is mined from the ground and can be found throughout the world. A compound of sulfur (hydrogen sulfide or H 2 S, in which sulfur is combined with hydrogen) is also a common component of oil and natural gas, especially now that most sulfur-free oil and gas has been used up. A large amount of the element is made from H 2 S by oil refineries.

Did You Know?

Sulfur burns with a blue flame.
The name sulfur is also sometimes spelled sulphur.
Sulfur boils at 832°F and melts at 239°F.
Although solid sulfur is bright yellow, molten sulfur is blood red.

Sulfur is used to make matches and gunpowder. It is also used to make fertilizers to help plants grow, and to make sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), which is used to keep dried fruit from discoloring. It is an essential element for life.

When mixed together with other elements, like hydrogen or oxygen, it can cause lung scarring and breathing problems. Sulfuric acid is a strong acid that can cause burns on unprotected skin. Hydrogen sulfide, called “stinkdamp” by miners due to its offensive smell, is a very dangerous gas. Sulfur is an important part of gunpowder. Gunpowder is explosive and is very dangerous if handled incorrectly.