Sulfur Properties

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Definition of Sulfur
What is the definition of Sulfur? In a general overview of the element we can at first describe Sulfur as a solid. It is a pale yellow non-metallic, brittle element and is widely distributed in close proximity to hot springs and volcanoes and is also found in many minerals and ores. The Physical and Chemical Properties are the characteristics of a substance, like Sulfur, which distinguishes it from any other substance. Most common substances exist as States of Matter as solids, liquids, gases and plasma. Refer to the article on Sulfurfor additional information and facts about this substance.

Sulfur Properties - What are the Physical Properties of Sulfur?
What are the Physical Properties of Sulfur? The Physical properties of Sulfur are the characteristics that can be observed without changing the substance into another substance.

Physical properties are usually those that can be observed using our senses such as color, luster, freezing point, boiling point, melting point, density, hardness and odor. The Physical Properties of Sulfur are as follows:

Color : Pale yellow - Non-metallic
Phase : Solid
Crystalline structure & Forms : Rhombic, Amorphous and Prismatic
*Allotropic : There are several known allotropes including brimstone
Odor : Odorless
Taste : Tasteless
Solubility : Insoluble in water
Boiling point : The boiling point of sulfur is 444.6°C
Conductivity : A poor conductor of heat and electricity
Viscosity (resistance to flow - stickiness) : Upon melting, sulfur is converted into a mobile yellow liquid, which turns brown and becomes a viscous, dark brown mass at about 190°C. The viscosity decreases above 190°C, and at 300°C sulfur again becomes a flowing liquid

*Allotropic - Allotropes are forms of an element with different physical and chemical properties occurring in two or more crystalline forms in the same physical state.

Sulfur Properties - What are the Chemical Properties of Sulfur?
What are the Chemical Properties of Sulfur? They are the characteristics that determine how it will react with other substances or change from one substance to another. The better we know the nature of the substance the better we are able to understand it. Chemical properties are only observable during a chemical reaction. Reactions to substances may be brought about by changes brought about by burning, rusting, heating, exploding, tarnishing etc. The Chemical Properties of Sulfur are as follows:

Chemical Formula : S
Compounds : Familiar compounds are Sodium sulfite, hydrogen sulfide (a poisonous gas that smells like rotten eggs) and sulfuric acid
Oxidation : The oxides are sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide, which when dissolved in water make sulfurous acid and sulfuric acid, respectively
Reactivity : It is chemically reactive, especially upon heating, and combines with almost all the elements. Upon heating, sulfur reacts with metals, forming the corresponding sulfides