Reactive nonmetals
Sulfur
A yellow nonmetal key to proteins and sulfuric acid.
Atomic #16Mass32.06Blockp-blockPeriod3Group16
S16 · 32.06
3D Atom Explorer
Inside the Sulfur atom
Switch between Bohr and Quantum Cloud modes to compare a simple teaching model with a more realistic probability-based view, and follow the guided tour to explore the Sulfur atom step by step.
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Electron configuration
[Ne] 3s2 3p4
A neutral Sulfur atom has 16 electrons (equal to its proton count). Choosing a different isotope above changes only the neutron count.
Shell distribution
Shell 12 e⁻Shell 28 e⁻Shell 36 e⁻
Electrons fill inner shells before outer ones; the outermost (valence) shell drives the element's chemistry.
Properties
Physical & atomic properties
- State (room temp)
- Solid
- Melting point
- 388 K (115 °C)
- Boiling point
- 718 K (445 °C)
- Density
- 2.067 g/cm³
- Electronegativity
- 2.58 Pauling
- Atomic radius
- 100 pm
- 1st ionization energy
- 1000 kJ/mol
- Category
- Reactive nonmetals
History
Discovery & naming
- Discovered
- Antiquity
- Discovered by
- Known since antiquity
- Origin of name
- Latin 'sulphur'.
Notable uses
Sulfuric acid, fertilizers, and vulcanizing rubber.
Cosmic origin
Where Sulfur comes from
Stellar fusion and dying stars
Produced by oxygen burning and by explosive burning during supernovae.
Simplified origin map — many elements form through more than one astrophysical pathway.
Summary
- Atomic number
- 16
- Atomic mass
- 32.06
- Category
- Reactive nonmetals
- Group · Period
- 16 · 3
- Block
- p-block
- Shells
- 2 · 8 · 6