Sulfur and Sulfur Molecules S₂ and S₈

**Symbol:** S

**Atomic number:** 16

**International title:** sulphur

**General formula:** S₂ and S₈

**Relative Atomic Weight:** 32,06

**Information:** Sulfur is a yellow solid crystalline. It is flammable and insoluble in water. The solid state occurs in two allotropic modifications (diamond and monoclonal). Both modifications are made up of cyclic molecules S₈. Sulfur occurs also in an amorphous state in the form of plastic sulfur and sulfur flower. Plastic sulfur is formed after melting and rapid cooling. The sulfur flower is formed by the rapid cooling of sulfur vapour. Sulfur vapours are made up of eight and six-atom molecules that break up to four and two-atom molecules with increasing temperature. Sulfur is part of non-metals.

**Use:** It has significant use in the chemical industry (mainly sulfuric acid production, vulcanization of rubber). Sulfur is a component of fungicides.

**Occurrence:** Sulfur is relatively well represented in nature. It is found both free (elemental) and bounded in compounds (especially in sulphides and sulphates). In the free form, it is found in volcanic gases (together with sulphan and sulfur dioxide). Among the most important sulfur minerals are ZnS spherrite, FeS₂ pyrite, PbS galenite, HgS ruminant, CuFeS₂; in the form of sulphate, gypsum CaSO₄.2H₂O. Sulfur is a biogenic element (it is contained in proteins).