Quick answerSulfur (S) is a nonmetal with atomic number 16 and an atomic mass of 32.06 (2023), in group 16, period 3. It has been known since ancient times. It is used for sulfuric acid production and fertilisers. Its electron configuration is [Ne] 3s2 3p4.
Sulfur is the yellow, brimstone-smelling element behind gunpowder, matches, and the sting of rotten eggs. Its biggest job today is making sulfuric acid, the most produced industrial chemical, which fertilises fields and refines metals. It also vulcanises rubber for tyres and preserves dried fruit, and volcanoes belch it into the air as sulfur dioxide.
Key facts
| Symbol | S |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 16 |
| Atomic mass | 32.06 (IUPAC standard atomic weight, 2023) |
| Category | nonmetal |
| Group | 16 |
| Period | 3 |
| Block | p-block |
| Electron configuration | [Ne] 3s2 3p4 |
| Discovered | Known since ancient times |
| Uses | sulfuric acid production, fertilisers, vulcanising rubber, gunpowder and matches, fungicides |
Overview
Sulfur is the yellow, brimstone-smelling element behind gunpowder, matches and the sting of rotten eggs. It has atomic number 16, an atomic mass of 32.06, and the electron configuration [Ne] 3s2 3p4, and it sits in group 16, period 3 of the periodic table. It has been known since ancient times, burned in rituals and used in medicines and dyes, and no single discoverer is credited with it. Sulfur's biggest job today is making sulfuric acid, the most produced industrial chemical in the world, which fertilises fields, refines metals and makes dyes, detergents and medicines. Sulfur itself fertilises crops, vulcanises rubber for tyres, and kills fungi on vines and fruit, while gunpowder mixes it with charcoal and saltpetre. It is mined from volcanic deposits and recovered from oil and natural gas, where it is removed to stop it polluting the air. Volcanoes belch sulfur into the sky as sulfur dioxide, and hot springs smell of it. Your body needs sulfur too: it is part of two amino acids that build proteins, and of the keratin in hair and nails.
Frequently asked questions
What is sulfur used for?
Sulfur is mainly used to make sulfuric acid, the most produced industrial chemical, which fertilises fields, refines metals and makes dyes and detergents. It also fertilises crops, vulcanises rubber for tyres, kills fungi on vines, and goes into gunpowder and matches. Your body needs it to build proteins, hair and nails.
What is the symbol for sulfur?
The chemical symbol for sulfur is S, from its Latin name sulfur, also spelled sulphur in British English. It has atomic number 16 and a standard atomic mass of 32.06, and it sits in group 16 and period 3 of the periodic table. Sulfur has been known since ancient times, so no single person is credited with discovering it.
What is the atomic number of sulfur?
Sulfur has atomic number 16, so it is the sixteenth element in the periodic table. Its atom holds sixteen protons and sixteen electrons, and its standard atomic mass is 32.06. It is a nonmetal in group 16 and period 3, with the electron configuration [Ne] 3s2 3p4, and it has been known since ancient times.
Is sulfur a metal?
No, sulfur is a nonmetal. It is a brittle yellow solid at room temperature, with no metallic shine, and it does not conduct electricity or heat well. It sits in group 16 of the periodic table with oxygen and selenium, and it forms compounds by sharing electrons, such as sulfuric acid and the amino acids in proteins.
Why does sulfur smell like rotten eggs?
Sulfur smells like rotten eggs because of hydrogen sulfide, a gas formed when sulfur compounds break down. It is the gas released by rotten eggs, hot springs and volcanoes, and your nose can detect it at very low levels. Pure sulfur itself has only a faint smell, but its compounds are among the strongest-smelling substances known.
Quick quiz
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Keep exploring
- Periodic table — all 118 elements
- Hydrogen (H) — another nonmetal, atomic number 1
- Carbon (C) — another nonmetal, atomic number 6
- Nitrogen (N) — another nonmetal, atomic number 7
- Oxygen (O) — another nonmetal, atomic number 8
- Phosphorus (P) — another nonmetal, atomic number 15
- Selenium (Se) — another nonmetal, atomic number 34
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.