SULPHUR

Its atomic number is 16. Sulphur is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic mass 32. It is abundant,
multivalent and non-metallic. Under normal conditions, sulphur atoms form cyclic octa-atomic molecules with a
chemical formula S8. Elemental sulphur is a bright yellow, crystalline solid at room temperature. It can be found
naturally in sulphide ores like galena PbS, zinc blend ZnS, copper pyrite CuFeS 2. It is found in the atmosphere in
small amount in the form of hydrogen sulphide, H2S. Sulphur is found largely in America.
Extraction of sulphur: Frasch Process
Frasch process is a method of mining deep-lying sulphur invented by the German-born American chemist Herman
Frasch. The process involves superheating water to about 170 °C (340 °F) and forcing it into the deposit in order to
melt the sulphur (melting point of about 115 °C, or 240 °F), which is lifted to the surface by means of compressed air.
The mixture of sulphur and water is then discharged into bins, where the 99 percent pure sulphur is allowed to solidify.
Elemental sulphur obtained by this process is called roll sulphur.
Allotropes of sulphur
Sulphur exists in two allotropic crystalline forms called Rhombic and Monoclinic sulphur. The amorphous form of
sulphur is plastic sulphur.
Rhombic sulphur (α-sulphur)
Rhombic sulphur is defined as a crystalline in nature and has an octahedral shape. On heating the roll sulphur solution
present in the Carbon IV Sulphide, CS2, we get rhombic sulphur. It is yellow in colour with a specific gravity 2.06 and
melting point of 385.8K. Rhombic sulphur compounds cannot be dissolved in water, but they can be dissolved in
ether, benzene or alcohol.
Monoclinic sulphur (β-sulphur)
When we melt rhombic sulphur using a dish, we obtain monoclinic sulphur after cooling it. In this specific process,
we put two holes in the crust and pour out the rest of the liquid. After this process, when the crust is removed, we get
the colourless needle-shaped crystals of β-sulphur.
Note: both allotropic forms of sulphur are soluble in carbon IV sulphide.
Plastic sulphur
Plastic sulphur is prepared by suddenly cooling the molten sulphur or roll sulphur (near its boiling point) by pouring
it into cold water. Yellow rubbery ribbons of sulphur are formed. They are very soft and can be stretched easily. It is
slightly soluble in carbon IV sulphide
Physical properties of sulphur
1. Sulphur usually occurs as a pale yellow, brittle, crystalline solid.
2. It has a faint characteristic smell, but no taste.
3. Sulphur is insoluble in water
4. It sublimes to give flowers of sulphur when heated in the absence of air
5. Sulphur is highly soluble in carbon disulphide and sparingly soluble alcohol.
6. It has a low melting point (114`C).
Chemical properties of sulphur
1. Sulphur burns in air with a blue flame to produce sulphur IV oxide.
𝑆(𝑠) + 𝑂2(𝑔) → 𝑆𝑂2(𝑔)

2. With Hydrogen: when H2(g) is bubbled into molten sulphur in a test tube, a colourless gas with a characteristic
rotten egg smell is evolved i.e hydrogen sulphide.
𝐻2(𝑔) + 𝑆(𝑙) → 𝐻2 𝑆(𝑔)

3. With carbon: it reacts with carbon when heated to form carbon IV sulphide a poisonous and inflammable
liquid
𝐶(𝑠) + 𝑆(𝑠) → 𝐶𝑆2(𝑙)

4. With metals: it combines with most metals to form anhydrous sulphides

𝐹𝑒(𝑠) + 𝑆(𝑠) → 𝐹𝑒𝑆(𝑠)
5. Sulphur acts as a reducing agent.
Uses of sulphur
1. The main use of sulphur is in the preparation of SO2 which is used in the manufacture of tetraoxosulphate VI
acid.
2. Sulphur is used in the manufacture of gun powder, matches and in fireworks.
3. Sulphur is used on vulcanization of rubber. Natural rubber is soft and sticky. Heating it with sulphur makes it
hard non-sticky and more elastic. This process of heating of natural rubber with sulphur is known as
vulcanization.
 4. Sulphur is used as fungicide and insecticide in agriculture and as a disinfectant in medicines.
5. Sulphur is used in ointments for curing skin diseases.
6. Sulphur is used in beauty parlours to give specific shapes to the hair.

Tetraoxosulphate VI acid (Sulphuric acid)

Industrial Production (Contact process)
The contact process is the most widely used method of manufacturing tetraoxosulphate (IV) acid, otherwise called
sulphuric acid on a commercial scale. The main reaction is the catalytic combination of sulphur(IV) oxide and oxygen
to form sulphur(VI) oxide in the presence of vanadium IV oxide as a catalyst or platinum. Sulphur (IV) oxide is made
by burning sulphur (or roll sulphur) in dry air or by roasting sulphide ores.
The sulphur (VI) oxide is cooled and passed into an absorption tower where it dissolves in concentrated
tetraoxosulphate (VI) acid to produce a very thick liquid called oleum (heptaoxodisulphate VI acid). Oleum is finally
diluted with water to obtain 98% concentrated tetraoxosulphate VI acid. Note that sulphur (VI) oxide, is not dissolved
directly in water because the heat evolved is too much and can cause acid burns and mist around.
𝑆(𝑠) + 𝑂2(𝑔) → 𝑆𝑂2(𝑔)
𝑉2 𝑂5(𝑠) ,450℃
2𝑆𝑂2(𝑔) + 𝑂2(𝑔) ↔ 2𝑆𝑂𝑠(𝑔) + 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑡
𝑆𝑂3(𝑔) + 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4(𝑙) → 𝐻2 𝑆2 𝑂7(𝑙)
𝐻2 𝑆2 𝑂7(𝑙) + 𝐻2 𝑂(𝑙) → 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4(𝑙)
Physical properties of Tetraoxosulphate VI acid
1. It is a colourless and oily liquid
2. It is hygroscopic and miscible with water
3. It is denser than water. Its density is 1.84gcm-3
Chemical properties
1. As a dilute acid it turns blue litmus paper red. It is a strong acid.
2. It neutralises bases to produce salt and water. Reacts with hydrogentrioxocarbonates IV and trioxocarbonates
IV to liberate carbon IV oxide. Reacts with metal in the activity series from K to Fe to liberate hydrogen gas.
3. Concentrated tetraoxosulphate VI acid is called oil of vitriol. It displaces other volatile acids from their salts.
H2SO4 is non-volatile.
2𝑁𝑎𝐶𝑙(𝑠) + 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4(𝑎𝑞) → 𝑁𝑎2 𝑆𝑂4(𝑎𝑞) + 2𝐻𝐶𝑙(𝑎𝑞)
2𝐾𝑁𝑂3(𝑠) + 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4(𝑎𝑞) → 𝐾2 𝑆𝑂4(𝑎𝑞) + 2𝐻𝑁𝑂3(𝑎𝑞)

4. Concentrated tetraoxosulphate VI acid is an oxidising agent. It cannot be used for drying hydrogen sulphide
because it oxidises it to sulphur.
5. Concentrated tetraoxosulphate VI acid is hygroscopic. It is used as a dehydrating agent (chemical) and a drying
agent(physical)
𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4 (−6𝐻2 𝑂)
𝐶6 𝐻12 𝑂6 → 6𝐶(𝑠) (𝑠𝑢𝑔𝑎𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑜𝑎𝑙)

Uses of Tetraoxosulphate VI acid

1. Tetraoxosulphate(VI) acid is used for making cellulose film, artificial and natural fabrics and plastics.
2. It is used to remove waxes, gums and several other dark colouring compounds during petroleum refining
3. It is used as an electrolyte in lead accumulators and batteries. It is also used as an electrolyte in the refining
and purification of metals by electrolysis.
4. It is used as a dehydrating agent in the nitration of compounds used in the making of explosives.
5. It is used in the purification of crude oil and in the manufacture of artificial silk.
6. It is used in the manufacture of fertilizers
7. It is used as a drying agent for very many gases except the alkaline gases such as ammonia and reducing gases
such as hydrogen sulphide. Tetraoxosulphate(VI) acid is also used in desiccators as drying agents.
8. It is used in the manufacture of pigments such as barium tetraoxosulphate(VI) and titanium(IV) oxide that are
chemical component of paints and dyes.
Hydrogen Sulphide H2S
Laboratory preparation: it is prepared by the action of HCl on FeS. Hydrogen sulphide is dried using anhydrous CaCl2.
It is collected by downward delivery. Prepared in a fume cupboard.
𝐹𝑒𝑆(𝑠) + 2𝐻𝐶𝑙(𝑎𝑞) → 𝐹𝑒𝐶𝑙2(𝑎𝑞) + 𝐻2 𝑆(𝑔)
Physical properties
1. It is a colourless gas with the smell of rotten egg.
 2. It is very poisonous
3. It is denser than air
4. It is relatively soluble in cold water.
Chemical properties
1. It is an acidic gas. When dissolved in water it turns blue litmus paper red. It is weakly acidic.
2. It burns with blue flame in air
2𝐻2 𝑆(𝑔) + 𝑂2(𝑔) → 2𝐻2 𝑂(𝑔) + 2𝑆(𝑠) (𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑥𝑦𝑔𝑒𝑛)
2𝐻2 𝑆(𝑔) + 3𝑂2(𝑔) → 2𝐻2 𝑂(𝑔) + 2𝑆𝑂2(𝑠) (𝑒𝑥𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑥𝑦𝑔𝑒𝑛)
3. It reacts with bases(alkalis) to form a sulphide salt and water
4. Hydrogen sulphide is a reducing agent
5. Hydrogen sulphide is used in qualitative analysis as a precipitating agent.
Test for hydrogen sulphide.
Pass hydrogen sulphide into an aqueous solution of lead II ethanoate solution. A black precipitate of lead II sulphide
is formed. OR insert a strip of test paper soaked in lead II ethanoate into a gas jar containing hydrogen sulphide, the
paper turns black due to formation of PbS.
Uses of hydrogen sulphide
For qualitative analysis of metals and their ores
Kipps Apparatus
The apparatus is used for the generation and intermittent supply of gases that can be produced by the action of an acid
on a metal without heating. The apparatus can be used to generate H2S, H2, HCl, CO2 and SO2.
Sulphur IV oxide, SO2
Laboratory Preparation: from the action of a dilute mineral acid on a trioxosulphate IV salt. It is collected by
downward delivery or upward displacement of air. The gas is dried with concentrated H2SO4. Prepared in a fume
cupboard.
𝑁𝑎2 𝑆𝑂3(𝑠) + 2𝐻𝐶𝑙(𝑎𝑞) → 2𝑁𝑎𝐶𝑙(𝑎𝑞) + 𝐻2 𝑂(𝑙) + 𝑆𝑂2(𝑔)
Physical properties
1. Pure SO2 is a colourless gas with a characteristic choking smell.
2. It is denser than air
3. It is highly soluble in water. Used in the fountain experiment.
4. It can be liquified at low pressure.
Chemical properties
1. As an acid it reacts with alkalis to produce salt and water.
2. It is both an oxidising and reducing agent. SO2 is a stronger oxidising agent than H2S.
3. As a bleaching agent: its bleaching action is due to reduction of the dye. Its bleaching action is temporary.
Uses of SO2
1. As a germicide
2. In the manufacture of tetraoxosulphate VI acid in the Contact process.
3. As a refrigerant.
4. As a bleaching agent for wool, silk and wood pulp
5. As preservative for fruits.
Trioxosulphate IV acid, H2SO3
It is prepared by dissolution of sulphur IV oxide in water. Sulphur IV oxide is the acid anhydride of trioxosulphate IV
acid.
𝑆𝑂2(𝑔) + 𝐻2 𝑂(𝑙) → 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂3(𝑎𝑞)
Properties
1. It is a colourless solution that is weakly acidic and turns blue litmus red.
2. It forms both acid and normal salts when it reacts with a base.
3. It is unstable , it readily oxidises by atmospheric oxygen to tetraoxosulphate VI acid

2𝐻2 𝑆𝑂3(𝑎𝑞) + 𝑂2(𝑔) → 2𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4(𝑎𝑞)

Uses of H2SO3
1. It is used as a germicide.
2. It is used as a bleaching agent