S
Sulfur
Element 16 · Reactive nonmetal
Sulfur (S)
Sulfur is a bright yellow nonmetal found near volcanoes and hot springs. Sulfuric acid, made from it, is the world’s most produced industrial chemical.
- Reactive nonmetal
- Period 3
- Group 16
- p-block
- solid at room temperature
Key properties
- Atomic mass
- 32.07
- u
- Electron configuration
- [Ne] 3s2 3p4
- Melting point
- 115.2 °C
- 388.36 K
- Boiling point
- 444.6 °C
- 717.75 K
- Density
- 2.067 g/cm³
- Electronegativity
- 2.58
- Pauling
- Atomic radius
- 180 pm
- van der Waals
- 1st ionisation energy
- 10.36 eV
Compare with every element:Electronegativity chartAtomic radius chartIonisation energy chartDensity chart of the elementsMelting point chartElectron configuration chart
Did you know?
Notable facts about sulfur
- 01
Pure sulfur has no smell — the “rotten egg” odour comes from hydrogen sulfide and other compounds.
- 02
Sulfur burns with a blue flame and gives off choking sulfur dioxide.
- 03
Io, a moon of Jupiter, is coloured yellow and orange by sulfur from its volcanoes.
Applications
What is sulfur used for?
- Sulfuric acid production
- Vulcanising rubber
- Fungicides and fertilisers
- Gunpowder
History
Discovery & name origin
Discovered by
Known since antiquity
Year
Prehistoric
Where
Known since antiquity
Name origin
Latin sulfur; the Bible calls it brimstone, “burning stone”.
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
- Atomic number
- 16
- Atomic mass
- 32.07 u
- Group
- 16
- Period
- 3
- Block
- p-block
- Electron configuration
- [Ne] 3s2 3p4
- Full configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 6
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 2.58
- Electron affinity
- 2.077 eV
- Atomic radius (van der Waals)
- 180 pm
- Stable isotopes
- 4
Oxidation states
Highlighted: common oxidation states (+6, +4, -2).
Successive ionisation energies
Energy to remove each electron in turn (kJ/mol). Big jumps show where a new, inner shell begins.
- 1st999.6
- 2nd2,252
- 3rd3,357
- 4th4,556
- 5th7,004.3
- 6th8,495.8
- 7th27,107
- 8th31,719
Physical
Physical properties & colour
Physical
Physical properties & colour
- State at 20 °C
- Solid
- 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
- Molar heat capacity
- 22.75 J/(mol·K)
- Appearance
- Lemon yellow sintered microcrystals
- CPK model colour
- Copied
The CPK colour is the convention used for this element’s atoms in molecular models.
FAQ
Sulfur questions
What is S on the periodic table?
S is the symbol for sulfur, element 16 on the periodic table. It sits in group 16, period 3, in the reactive nonmetal category, and has an atomic mass of 32.07.
What is the atomic number of sulfur?
Sulfur has atomic number 16, so every sulfur atom has 16 protons in its nucleus. Its symbol is S and its atomic mass is 32.07.
Who discovered sulfur?
Sulfur has been known since antiquity (Prehistoric); no single discoverer is credited. The name comes from Latin sulfur; the Bible calls it brimstone, “burning stone”.
What is sulfur used for?
Sulfur is used for: sulfuric acid production; vulcanising rubber; fungicides and fertilisers; gunpowder.
Is sulfur a metal?
No. Sulfur is classed as a reactive nonmetal.
What is the electron configuration of sulfur?
The electron configuration of sulfur is [Ne] 3s2 3p4. Its 16 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 6.