Sulfur+2

Sulfur S Chemical Characteristics: The Atomic Number of sulfur is 16, the atomic weight is 32.065. Physical Characteristics: Sulfur is a multivalent non-metal, abundant, tasteless and odorless element. It is a yellow crystalline solid. It is insoluble in water but soluble in carbon disulphide. It is a reactive element that given favorable circumstances combines with all other elements except gases, gold, and platinum. Sulfur appears in a number of different allotropic modifications: rhombic, monoclinic, polymeric, and others. The rhombic structure is the most commonly found. Although sulfur is infamous for its smell, frequently compare to rotten eggs, that odor is actually characteristic of hydrogen sulphide. Where is this element found in nature?: Sulphur is found in meteorites, volcanoes, hot springs, and as galena, gypsum, Epsom salts, and barite. It is recovered commercially from "salt domes" along the Gulf Coast of the USA. Sulfur is essential to human life. It is a minor constituent of fats, body fluids, and skeletal minerals. How is this element recovered and purified?: Sulfur can be extracted from the ground without mining using the Frasch process. In the Frasch process underground deposits of sulfur are forced to the surface using superheated water and steam and compressed air. This produces molten sulfur which is allowed to cool in large basins. Purity can reach 99.5%. Sulfur can be purified by recrystallisation from solutions in carbon disulphide. Sulfur can also be purified using a quartz heater immersed in liquid sulphur. Carbon impurities decompose to form volatile materials of solid carbon, which coat the heater. The result is sulfur with a carbon content of about 0.0009%. How do we use the element?: Sulfur's commercial uses are primarily in fertilizers, but it is also widely used in black gunpowder, matches, insecticides and fungicides. Elemental sulfur crystals are commonly sought after by mineral collectors for their brightly colored polyhedron shapes. What products are made from the element?: Primarily fertilizers, but also black gunpowder, matches, insecticides and fungicides. How are these products used?: Fertilizers are soil amendments applied to promote plant and fruit growth. Gun powder is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate. It burns rapidly, producing volumes of hot solids and gases which can be used as a propellant in firearms. Matches are tools for lighting fires. Insecticides are pesticides used against insects, and fungicides are pesticides used against fungi. Who uses these products?: These products are used by everyday consumers all over the world. Are there any environmental concerns due to this use?: The greatest environmental concern of all these products is in the insecticides and fungicides. Pesticides are essentially poison sprayed on crops to kill insects and fungi, and these are embedded in the soil and run in the water that comes in contact with the plants the pesticides are sprayed on. The pesticides are also consumed by humans which can be deadly. How are waste products disposed of?: Is the element an important nutrient for human health? If yes: Sulfur is essential to human life. It is a minor constituent of fats, body fluids, and skeletal minerals. It is important for human health, although it already exists in the human body, it does not need to be consumed by humans.

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