Sulfur Facts for Kids

Sulfur Periodic Table
  • Name: Sulfur
  • Symbol: S
  • Atomic Number: 16
  • Atomic Weight: 32.065 u
  • Period: 3
  • Group: 16

25 Sulfur Facts for Kids

  1. Sulfur is a chemical element on the periodic table.
  2. Sulfur was first identified as a chemical element in 1777 by French chemist Antoine Lavoisier.
  3. Pure sulfur is a nonmetal that is soft, odorless and has a bright yellow color.
  4. Sulfur is a solid at room temperature.
  5. The symbol for sulfur is S.
  6. The atomic number for sulfur is 16.
  7. The standard atomic weight for sulfur is 32.065 u.
  8. Sulfur is in the reactive nonmetal element category on the periodic table.
  9. Sulfur is a period 3 chemical element, which is the third row on the periodic table.
  10. Sulfur is a group 16 chemical element, which is the oxygen group.
  11. Sulfur has four stable isotopes
  12. The four stable sulfur isotopes are 32S, 33S, 34S and 36S.
  13. The melting point for sulfur is 239.38 °F (115.21 °C).
  14. The boiling point for sulfur is 832.3 °F (444.6 °C).
  15. Sulfur is the tenth most abundant element in the universe.
  16. Sulfur is the fifth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust.
  17. Sulfur is one of the essential components of all living things.
  18. Sulfur can sometimes be found in its native form on Earth but is mostly found in sulfate and sulfide minerals.
  19. Most of the sulfur produced today is recovered as a byproduct from processing oil, natural gas and metal smelting.
  20. In the human body, sulfur is the 7th to 8th most abundant element by weight.
  21. Octasulfur (S8) is used in pharmaceutical skin products to treat acne and other skin diseases.
  22. Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is used in batteries, fertilizers and to process water.
  23. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a colorless gas that has an odor like the smell of rotten eggs.
  24. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a toxic gas that is created by mixing oxygen and sulfur together.
  25. Pure sulfur can be used as a pesticide or fungicide.

Additional Resources on Sulfur

  • Sulfur (s) – Learn more about the chemical element sulfur on the Los Alamos National Laboratory website.
  • The Element Sulfur – Discover more cool facts about sulfur on the Jefferson Labs website.
  • Sulfur – RSC – Find more awesome facts about sulfur on the Royal Society of Chemistry website.
  • Sulfur – Britannica – Read more about sulfur and its properties on the Britannica website.

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