Hobbies And Interests
Physical Properties
Sulfur is a yellow, nonmetallic mineral that has no odor in its solid state. Sulfur melts at 239.38 degrees Fahrenheit and boils at 832.5 degrees Fahrenheit, giving it a liquid range of about 395 degrees Fahrenheit. Its critical temperature --- the point at which sulfur can no longer be liquefied by increasing its pressure --- is 1906 degrees Fahrenheit. Its mineral hardness is 2, making it a fairly soft mineral.
Atomic and Molecular Properties
Sulfur has an atomic number of 16, meaning its nucleus contains 16 neutrons. Its mass is 32.065. The radius of one sulfur atom is 100 pm (observed) or 88 pm (calculated). Sulfur molecules form an orthorhombic crystal structure. Elemental sulfur is made up of eight-membered rings instead of diatomic molecules.
Heating Sulfur
Solid sulfur is yellow, but when heated, it turns red and viscous as the eight-membered rings of which it is composed break down into long chains. At 374 degrees Fahrenheit, the chains break down further and the liquid sulfur becomes more free-flowing. If suddenly cooled at this point, it forms an amorphous material called plastic sulfur.
Isotopes
S-32 makes up the majority of naturally occurring sulfur isotopes; S-34 makes up a little more than 4 percent, while S-33 and S-35 combined make up less than 1 percent. Naturally occurring sulfur isotopes as well as radioisotopes therapeutic are used in the medical industry. S-33 and S-34 have also been used in genome research.