Sulfur By Kaia Blom

The Discovery Antoine Lavoisier discovered sulfur. The exact date is not certain, but we do know that it was found in 1777.

Where can Sulfur be found? Sulfur is found in many different places. It is found in pyrite and petroleum. Pyrite is another name for “fool’s gold”. “Fool’s Gold” can be found in iron ore. Also, pyrite is found in sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rock areas. Petroleum is found deep underground. Machines are used to extract the petroleum from underground. Petroleum is also obtained from wells and crude oil. It is a naturally occurring liquid with a very complex composition and is a mixture of hydrocarbons.

The Extraction of Sulfur The ore containing sulfur is placed in large piles on sloping ground and ignited. The liquid sulfur resulting from this heating is allowed to run into a series of wooden molds, in which it solidifies. Another way to extract sulfur is to use four concentric pipes, which are driven into the ore. Water is forced through two pipes into the ore, and melts the sulfur. When enough has been melted, hot air is forced down the pipe to form a froth with the molten sulfur. The mixture is forced up to the surface through the remaining pipe.

Uses of Sulfur Sulfur is used for many things. The most important being its use in the manufacture of sulfur compounds like sulfur dioxide. Sulfur is also used in medical drugs, skin ointments, dyes, gunpowder, and matches.

Quantitative Properties of Sulfur Atomic Weight: grams Boiling Point: degrees Celsius Melting Point: degrees Celsius Phase at Room Temperature: Solid Density: grams per centimeters squared Classification: non-metal Flammability: flammable

Bohr-Rutherford Diagram