Sulfur (S)

Sulfuric acid production is used as an index of a country's industrial output, because so much of chemistry passes through it. Sulfur is one of the few elements that occurs natively as a pure yellow mineral, which is why it has been known and named since antiquity — the biblical brimstone. Pure sulfur has almost no smell; the stench associated with it belongs to its compounds, and the human nose can detect some thiols at a few parts per trillion, which is why a trace of one is added to natural gas to make leaks noticeable.

Properties

Atomic number

16

Symbol

S

Standard atomic weight

32.06 u

Category

Nonmetal

Group

16

Period

3

Block

p-block

Electron configuration

[Ne] 3s² 3p⁴

Electrons per shell

2, 8, 6

Melting point

388.36 K — 115.2 °C — 239.4 °F

Boiling point

717.75 K — 444.6 °C — 832.3 °F

Density

2.067 g/cm³

Electronegativity

2.58 (Pauling)

Oxidation states

+6, +4, -2

Discovered

Known since antiquity

Electron configuration

Full

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁴

Noble gas shorthand

[Ne] 3s² 3p⁴

Shells

K: 2 · L: 8 · M: 6

What it is used for

• Sulfuric acid, the most-produced industrial chemical in the world
• Vulcanising rubber for tyres and seals
• Fungicide on grapes and other crops
• Gunpowder and match heads
• Sulfur dioxide as a preservative in wine and dried fruit

IUPAC publishes an interval, [32.059, 32.076]; 32.06 is the conventional value. Spelled "sulfur" following IUPAC and US usage; "sulphur" is carried as an alias.

Neighbours in the table

Group 16

Elements in the same group share their outer electron count, which is why they behave similarly in reactions. Sulfur sits in group 16 with oxygen, selenium, tellurium, polonium, livermorium.