Element identity
Atomic number, symbol, relative atomic mass display and periodic position are established reference data.
Atomic / electronic model
Ground-state electron configuration and atomic reference values are compiled/evaluated data; orbital graphics are teaching probability models, not photographs.
Material / molecular structure
The displayed ordinary structure is based on established material or molecular science; simplified viewers are labelled as teaching schematics where exact crystallographic coordinates are not rendered.
Temperature / phase path
Transition values are reference/evaluated values for the stated teaching path; pressure, purity and allotropy can matter.
Geography
Real pins use reviewed place/dataset context. Conceptual layers are used when country pins would imply false occurrence, unsafe inventory or an incomplete global distribution.
The lens describes evidence status, not confidence theatre. “Unknown” is kept unknown, and teaching schematics are not presented as direct measurements.
Sulfur (S)
Sulfur is element 16, a yellow Group 16 nonmetal with six valence electrons and an unusually rich allotrope story. At room temperature the familiar form is built from crown-shaped S₈ molecules, while sulfur chemistry links proteins, minerals, fuels, fertilizers and sulfuric acid.
Sulfur atomic number, mass, electron configuration and key properties
Sulfur: quick answers
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does sulfur have?
Sulfur’s atomic number is 16, so every sulfur atom has 16 protons, and a neutral atom also has 16 electrons. Its most common natural isotope, sulfur-32, has 16 neutrons (other isotopes have different neutron counts).
What is the symbol for sulfur?
The chemical symbol for sulfur is S.
Is sulfur a solid, liquid or gas at room temperature?
Sulfur is a solid at room temperature (about 25 °C).
What family (group) is sulfur in?
Sulfur is a nonmetal, in group 16, period 3 of the periodic table.
How many valence electrons does sulfur have?
Sulfur has 6 valence electrons, the electrons in its outer shell, which matches its position in group 16.
What is the electron configuration of sulfur?
The ground-state electron configuration of sulfur is [Ne] 3s² 3p⁴.
From atomic number to chemistry
Read these as a chain of causes, not as isolated facts. Each step links to the concept hub if you want the underlying idea explained.
Sixteen protons define sulfur; a neutral atom contains 16 electrons.
The 3s²3p⁴ valence pattern gives sulfur six valence electrons.
Sulfur can form S²⁻ as well as many covalent compounds and higher oxidation states.
Sulfur belongs to the chalcogens between phosphorus and chlorine across Period 3.
Solid sulfur can reorganize between allotropes before melting.
Sulfur in its period and family
Sulfur lies in Group 16, Period 3, between phosphorus and chlorine. Its 3s²3p⁴ valence pattern gives six outer electrons and connects sulfur to oxygen and selenium, while the larger atom supports extensive catenation and multiple oxidation states.
Sulfur Visual Lab
Decode sulfur’s tile, compare neutral S with S²⁻ shell counts, rotate a ³²S teaching nucleus and an S₈ crown molecule, inspect 3s/3p probability models, and connect sulfur to allotropes, the sulfur cycle, sulfur recovery and sulfuric-acid manufacture.
Every mark points to one exact feature
The numbered markers explain the same information system used throughout Element Lookup. Unknown or predicted fields remain visibly labelled rather than being replaced with guesses.
Sulfur in one minute
Atomic number 16 means every sulfur nucleus contains 16 protons.
Neutral sulfur has six valence electrons: [Ne] 3s² 3p⁴.
The common room-temperature allotrope contains crown-shaped S₈ molecules in an orthorhombic crystal.
Sulfur has several allotropes and temperature-dependent structural behavior; one ‘solid sulfur’ picture is not the whole story.
Modern elemental sulfur production is largely recovered during purification of oil and natural gas rather than mined as native sulfur.
Shell rings organize electron counts. They are not electron trajectories or orbital shapes.
2 · 8 · 6 electrons
The occupied 3s orbital is spherical with two radial nodes in this hydrogen-like teaching approximation. The occupied 3p model has one radial node and a two-lobed angular form; x/y/z controls rotate that same p shape in space. These clouds describe isolated-atom probability distributions, not S₈ bonds or electron trajectories.
Room-temperature α-sulfur is orthorhombic and built from crown-shaped S₈ molecules; the viewer focuses on one S₈ molecular teaching model. The viewer is evidence-aware: measured structures are identified as such; unknown bulk structures stay unknown.
Teaching visualization; not a literal finite sample or thermal trajectory.What this model does—and does not—show
The occupied 3s orbital is spherical with two radial nodes in this hydrogen-like teaching approximation. The occupied 3p model has one radial node and a two-lobed angular form; x/y/z controls rotate that same p shape in space. These clouds describe isolated-atom probability distributions, not S₈ bonds or electron trajectories.
Where do I meet sulfur?
Clickable learning cards connect the element to materials, environment, technology, biology or research - depending on what the evidence actually supports.
Sulfuric acid
Most recovered sulfur ultimately supports sulfuric-acid production, a major industrial chemical used across fertilizers and manufacturing.
S8 rings, allotropes and a temperature-dependent liquid
Sulfur is not just “yellow solid”: molecular rings and thermal history create unusually rich structural behavior.
Molecular building block
Room-temperature elemental sulfur is dominated by crown-shaped S8 molecules.
Oxygen, sulfur and selenium
Group 16 elements share an ns²np⁴ valence pattern, but atomic size and element-element bonding make their ordinary elemental structures very different.
| Valence | 2s² 2p⁴ |
|---|---|
| Ordinary form | O₂ gas |
| Valence | 3s² 3p⁴ |
|---|---|
| Ordinary form | S₈ molecular solid |
| Pauling χ | 2.58 |
| Valence | 4s² 4p⁴ |
|---|---|
| Context | multiple allotropes |
Sulfur properties: atomic, physical, thermal and chemical
Categories follow the science of this element rather than a fixed decorative template. Each row carries condition/provenance context and an evidence label; unknown values stay unknown.
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atomic number | 16 | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Relative atomic mass | 32.06 | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Ground-state electron configuration | [Ne] 3s² 3p⁴ | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Group / period / block | Group 16 · Period 3 · p-block | Periodic-table placement | Evaluated |
| Electronegativity | 2.58 | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Reference isotope | ³²S | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| State context | Yellow solid at 20 °C | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Density | 2.07 g/cm³ | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Material / molecular structure | α-sulfur · S₈ molecular crystal | Room-temperature α-sulfur is orthorhombic and built from crown-shaped S₈ molecules; the viewer focuses on one S₈ molecular teaching model | Measured |
| Classification | Nonmetal · chalcogen | Periodic-table / chemistry classification | Evaluated |
| Structure-model scope | Room-temperature α-sulfur is orthorhombic and built from crown-shaped S₈ molecules; the viewer focuses on one S₈ molecular teaching model | Teaching visualization; exact crystallographic coordinates are not implied unless stated. | Reviewed |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting / transition reference | 388.36 K · reference value | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Boiling / gas reference | 717.76 K | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Phase-path context | Sulfur’s ordinary-pressure phase behavior is allotrope-sensitive. This teaching path shows room-temperature α-sulfur, a transition toward β-sulfur near 368 K, a reference melting boundary near 388 K, and boiling near 718 K. Reported melting behavior can differ with allotrope and thermal history, so the labels are deliberately approximate. | Shared phase registry drives the slider, regions and markers. | Evaluated |
| Condition warning | Temperature and pressure define phase behavior; purity/allotropy may matter. | Teaching condition statement | Reviewed |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common oxidation states | −2, +4, +6 common | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Ion / common ion context | S²⁻ | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Periodic chemistry context | Sulfur lies in Group 16, Period 3, between phosphorus and chlorine. Its 3s²3p⁴ valence pattern gives six outer electrons and connects sulfur to oxygen and selenium, while the larger atom supports extensive catenation and multiple oxidation states. | Element-specific interpretation | Reviewed |
| Chemistry caution | Elemental form, ions and compounds are distinct chemical objects. | Interpretive teaching rule | Reviewed |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| ³²S | Stable · ≈95% natural abundance | The dominant natural sulfur isotope; 16 protons and 16 neutrons. | Evaluated |
| ³⁴S | Stable · ≈4.25% | An important minor isotope in geochemistry and isotope-ratio studies. | Evaluated |
| ³³S / ³⁶S | Stable · minor natural isotopes | Together they make up a small fraction of natural sulfur and provide additional isotope tracers. | Evaluated |
| Teaching nucleus | ³²S · 16 protons + 16 neutrons | Reference isotope used in the nucleus model | Reviewed |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Page evidence note | Atomic/isotope and ordinary physical values are measured/evaluated. Sulfur has many allotropes, so the molecular viewer intentionally shows an S₈ teaching molecule rather than pretending one molecule is the whole crystal. The phase path is approximate and explicitly notes allotrope-dependent melting behavior. | Evidence summary for this guide | Reviewed |
| Structure evidence | Room-temperature α-sulfur is orthorhombic and built from crown-shaped S₈ molecules; the viewer focuses on one S₈ molecular teaching model | Measured structure, labelled schematic, prediction or explicit unknown as applicable. | Reviewed |
| Map evidence rule | Real pins are reviewed examples; conceptual layers are used when pins would mislead. | Geography Explorer 2.0 | Reviewed |
| Source set | 4 primary/reference links listed below | Open the Sources section for the actual references. | Reviewed |
Is Sulfur a solid, liquid or gas? State at temperature
Sulfur’s ordinary-pressure phase behavior is allotrope-sensitive. This teaching path shows room-temperature α-sulfur, a transition toward β-sulfur near 368 K, a reference melting boundary near 388 K, and boiling near 718 K. Reported melting behavior can differ with allotrope and thermal history, so the labels are deliberately approximate.
Where on Earth is Sulfur found or produced?
Who discovered Sulfur, and when?
Sulfur was known in antiquity and used in fumigation, bleaching and early chemical practices.
Lavoisier treated sulfur as an element; later work resolved doubts caused by impure samples.
Sulfuric-acid manufacture and fertilizer chemistry made sulfur central to large-scale chemical industry.
Most elemental sulfur is recovered from petroleum and natural-gas processing rather than mined as native sulfur.
From sulfur-bearing streams to elemental sulfur and sulfuric acid: a high-level path
Sulfur occurs naturally in many compounds, especially sulfides, sulfates and sulfur-bearing fossil resources.
Modern refineries and gas-processing plants remove sulfur compounds to meet product and emissions requirements.
Sulfur-recovery systems convert appropriate sulfur-bearing streams to elemental sulfur; this page keeps the process conceptual rather than operational.
Recovered sulfur is transported into sulfuric-acid, fertilizer and other chemical value chains.
What is sulfur used for?
Sulfuric acid
The largest use of sulfur is production of sulfuric acid for fertilizers and many industrial processes.
Vulcanized rubber
Sulfur crosslinking is central to vulcanization of many rubber products.
Agriculture
Sulfur is an essential plant nutrient and appears in fertilizers and crop-protection products.
Chemical manufacture
Sulfur compounds are used across detergents, pigments, paper, mining, pharmaceuticals and many other sectors.
Sulfur isotopes and natural abundance
³²S
Stable · ≈95% natural abundanceThe dominant natural sulfur isotope; 16 protons and 16 neutrons.
³⁴S
Stable · ≈4.25%An important minor isotope in geochemistry and isotope-ratio studies.
³³S / ³⁶S
Stable · minor natural isotopesTogether they make up a small fraction of natural sulfur and provide additional isotope tracers.
Five-question Sulfur check
How many valence electrons does neutral sulfur have?
What molecular ring is central to common room-temperature sulfur?
Is sulfur a metal?
What is the largest industrial use of sulfur?
What does the α→β sulfur change represent?
Sulfur questions students commonly ask
Each answer starts with the direct fact, then explains the chemistry, evidence or material context so the result is understandable rather than merely memorized.
Is sulfur a metal or nonmetal?
Short answer: Sulfur is a nonmetal in Group 16 of the periodic table.
This guide classifies Sulfur as a nonmetal · chalcogen. Its periodic position is Period 3, p-block, Group 16. Sulfur lies in Group 16, Period 3, between phosphorus and chlorine. Its 3s²3p⁴ valence pattern gives six outer electrons and connects sulfur to oxygen and selenium, while the larger atom supports extensive catenation and multiple oxidation states.
Key point: Periodic-table classification describes recurring atomic/chemical behavior; it does not make every element in a column physically identical.
How many valence electrons does sulfur have?
Short answer: Six. Its ground-state configuration ends 3s² 3p⁴.
The neutral-atom ground-state reference used on this page is [Ne] 3s² 3p⁴. This is an isolated-atom reference: bonding and ion formation can change which outer electrons are present or chemically active. The listed common oxidation-state context is −2, +4, +6 common, which helps connect the atomic configuration to ordinary chemistry without treating electron counting as a single universal rule.
Key point: Electron configuration is a ground-state atomic reference, not a literal picture of every compound.
What is sulfur used for?
Short answer: The largest use is sulfuric-acid production; sulfur is also important in fertilizers, rubber vulcanization and many chemical processes.
Sulfuric acid: The largest use of sulfur is production of sulfuric acid for fertilizers and many industrial processes. Vulcanized rubber: Sulfur crosslinking is central to vulcanization of many rubber products. Elemental sulfur, sulfide, sulfate, sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid are different chemical species. The element page keeps the S atom and S₈ substance separate from the many sulfur compounds encountered in biology and industry.
Key point: Always distinguish the pure element from the compound, alloy, isotope or device material that actually performs the application.
What color is sulfur?
Short answer: The common room-temperature allotrope appears yellow as crystals or powder.
The ordinary elemental-material description used here is: Yellow solid at 20 °C. Sulfur’s ordinary-pressure phase behavior is allotrope-sensitive. This teaching path shows room-temperature α-sulfur, a transition toward β-sulfur near 368 K, a reference melting boundary near 388 K, and boiling near 718 K. Reported melting behavior can differ with allotrope and thermal history, so the labels are deliberately approximate.
Key point: Elemental appearance can differ from the colors of its ions, compounds, oxide films or host materials.
Where is sulfur found?
Short answer: Sulfur occurs as native sulfur in some settings and much more widely in sulfide and sulfate minerals and sulfur-bearing fossil resources.
Sulfur occurs naturally in many compounds, especially sulfides, sulfates and sulfur-bearing fossil resources. Minerals & volcanoes Sulfur occurs as native sulfur in some volcanic settings and widely in sulfide and sulfate minerals.
Key point: Natural occurrence, resources, production and recycling are different geography questions.
Are sulfur and sulphur different elements?
Short answer: No. ‘Sulfur’ is the IUPAC-preferred spelling, while ‘sulphur’ remains a common British spelling for the same element.
Elemental sulfur, sulfide, sulfate, sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid are different chemical species. The element page keeps the S atom and S₈ substance separate from the many sulfur compounds encountered in biology and industry. Sulfur is element 16, a yellow Group 16 nonmetal with six valence electrons and an unusually rich allotrope story. At room temperature the familiar form is built from crown-shaped S₈ molecules, while sulfur chemistry links proteins, minerals, fuels, fertilizers and sulfuric acid.
Key point: Use the direct answer together with the material, isotope and evidence context shown elsewhere on the page.
Scientific sources for Sulfur
- Royal Society of Chemistry - Sulfur
- NIST - Atomic Data for Sulfur
- USGS - Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
- IUCr - α/β sulfur structural transition
Questions to ask next about Sulfur
A good element lesson should lead to the next useful question, not end after a list of facts.
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