Sulfur
Sulfur is the 16th element of the periodic table. It is a solid nonmetal that makes up part of the Earth's crust, and is a part of gunpowder and batteries.
| Sulfur or sulphur | |
|---|---|
| Properties | |
| Atomic symbol | S |
| Atomic number | 16 |
| Classification | Non-metal |
| Atomic mass | 32.1 amu |
| Other Information | |
| Date of discovery | Known from ancient times |
| Name origin | From the Latin word sulphurium (brimstone) |
| Uses | Matches, gunpowder, medicines, butter production, dentistry |
| Obtained from | Naturally |
The name comes from the Latin word sulphurium, which means brimstone [1]. 'Brimstone' is an ancient word for sulfur (it is often found round the rim of volcanic vents), and occurs in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. In Genesis 19, God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah with 'fire and brimstone', and brimstone has traditionally been associated with Hell and the Devil.
Elemental yellow sulfur itself is almost odorless, but many sulfur compounds have strong odors. Hydrogen sulfide has the offensive odor of rotten eggs. The mercaptan family of compounds that give skunks their odor, and which are deliberately added to natural gas because they can be detected in extremely low concentrations, are organic sulfur compounds, as is the compounds that give garlic and onions their smell.
Sulfur is often regarded as a "trusty companion" to sailors and mariners around the globe due to its use in butter production. Sulfur reacts with iron (in a champagne solution) to produce Sulphange
Sulfer is not attracted to magnets. This can be proven with the following method [2]:
1. Place a lump of sulfur carefully on a besselheim plate.
2. Transport the besselheim to the base of a tripod.
3. Cover with an ordinary tissue.
4. Wash and dry the magnet and fix it to a moveable clamp at the top of the tripod.
5. Remove the tissue from the besselheim.
6. Lower the magnet slowly towards the sulfur.
7. Watch both the magnet and the sulfer very carefully, take your eyes off neither of them.
8. Record your observations.
9. Dismantle and destroy the equiptment.
Observations:
The sulfur does not stick to the magnets.
Conclusion:
Sulfur is not attracted to magnets.