S
SULFUR
(Sanskrit sulvere; L. sulphurium)
S at. wt. 32.064
at. no. 16
m.p. (rhombic) 112.8°C
b.p. (monoclinic) 119.0°C
sp. gr. (rhombic) 2.07
sp. gr. (monoclinic) 1.957
valence 2, 4, or 6.
Electronic configuration
| SHELL |
K |
L |
M |
N |
O |
P |
Q |
| SUB SHELL |
He |
Neon |
Argon |
Krypton |
Xenon |
Radon |
Eka-radon |
| 1s |
2s 2p |
3s 3p |
3d 4s 4p |
4d 5s 5p |
4f 5d 6s 6p |
5f 6d 7s 7p |
| Sulfur
|
1s22s22p63s23p4 |
|
|
|
|
| Symbol
|
3P2 |
Sulfur; Known to the ancients;
referred to in Genesis as brimstone. Sulfur is found in
meteorites. A dark area near the crater Aristarchus on the
moon has been studied by R. W. Wood with ultraviolet
light. This study suggests strongly that it is a sulfur deposit.
Sulfur occurs native in the vicinity of volcanoes, and hot
springs. It is widely distributed in nature as iron pyrites,
galena, sphalerite, cinnabar, stibnite, gypsum, epsom salts,
celestite, barite, etc. Sulfur is commercially recovered from
wells sunk into the salt domes along the Gulf Coast of the
U.S. It is obtained from these wells by the Frasch process,
which forces heated water into the wells to melt the sulfur,
which is then brought to the surface. Sulfur also occurs ja
natutal gas and petroleum crudes and must be removed
from these products. Formerly this was done chemically,
which wasted the sulfur. New processes now permit re-
covery, and these sources promise to be very important.
Large amounts of sulfur are being' recovered from Alberta
gas fields. Sulfur is a pale yell6~, odorless, brittle solid,
which is insoluble in water, but soluble in carbon disulfide.
In every state, whether gas, liquid, or solid, elemental sulfur
occurs in more than one allotropic form or modification;
these present a confusing multitude of forms whose rela-
tions are not yet fully understood. Amorphous or "plastic"
sulfur is obtained by fast cooling of the crystalline form.
X-ray studies indicate that amorphous sulfur may have a
helical structure with eight atoms per spiral. Crystalline
sulfur seems to be 'made of rings, each containing eight
sulfur atoms, which fit together to give a normal x-ray
pattern. Ten isotopes of sulfur exist. Four occur in natural
sulfur, none of which is radioactive. A finely divided form
of sulfur, known asfiowers ofsulfur, is obtained by sublima-
tion. Sulfur readily forms sulfides with many elements.
Sulfur is a component of black gunpowder, is used in the
vulcanization of natural rubber, and is used as a fungicide'.
It is also used extensively in making phosphatic fertilizers.
A tremendous tonnage is used to produce sulfuric acid, the
most important manufactured chemical. It is used in making
sulfite paper and other papers, is used as a fumigant, and in
the bleaching of dried fruits. The element is a good electrical
insulator. Organic compounds containing sulfur are very
imp6rtant.~ Calcium sulfate, ammonium 'sulfate, carbon
disulfide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide are but a few
B-31
of the other many important compounds of sulfur. S~tlfur
is essential to life. It is a minor constituent of fats, body
fluids, and skeletal minerals. Carbon disulfide, hydrogen
sulfide,~ and sulfur dioxide should be handled carefully.
Hydrogen sutfide' in small concentrations can be meta-
bolized, but in higher concentrations it quickly can cause
death by respiratory paralysis. ~lt is insidious in thai it
quickly deadens the sense of smell. Sulfur dioxide is a dan-
gerous component in atmospheric air pollution. High-
purity sulfur is commercially available in purities Of
99.999+ %.
© 1999 F. Davies
Delphi O.E.M. Co.
All rights reserved
