Sulfur

chemical element with symbol S and

atomic number 16

Sulfur (or sulphur) is a chemical

element. The symbol for sulfur is S, and
its atomic number is 16.

When sulfur is burned, it melts to a

blood-red liquid (top picture). At night
(bottom picture) the flame is much
more visible.
 Sulfur crystals

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 mining in Indonesia

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) compounds

Sulfur(I) chloride, yellow liquid

Sulfur(II) compounds

Sulfur(II) chloride, red odorous liquid

Sulfur(III) compounds

Disulfur dinitride, colorless solid

Tetrasulfur tetranitride, orange solid
Sulfur(IV) compounds
 Sulfur tetrafluoride, colorless toxic gas
Sulfur(V) compounds

Disulfur decafluoride, colorless toxic

liquid
Sulfur(VI) compounds

Sulfur hexafluoride, colorless heavy

gas

Occurrence and preparation

Sulfur powder made by reacting sulfur

dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from
coal

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.

The Simple English Wiktionary has a

definition for: sulfur.

Related pages

Periodic table
List of common elements
Sulfur compounds

Other websites
 WebElements.com – Sulfur (http://ww
w.webelements.com/webelements/ele
ments/text/S/index.html)
EnvironmentalChemistry.com – Sulfur
(http://environmentalchemistry.com/y
ogi/periodic/S.html)

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