Sulfur

Sulfur (or sulphur; see spelling below) is the chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is an abundant, tasteless, odorless, multivalent non-metal. Sulfur, in its native form, is a yellow crystaline solid. In nature, it can be found as the pure element or as sulfide and sulfate minerals. It is an essential element for life and is found in several amino acids. Its commercial uses are primarily in fertilizers but it is also widely used in gunpowder, matches, insecticides and fungicides.

Spelling

The element has traditionally been spelled sulphur in the United Kingdom, India, and New Zealand, but sulfur in the United States, while both spellings are used in Australia and Canada. The IUPAC adopted the spelling "sulfur" in 1990, as did the Royal Society of Chemistry Nomenclature Committee in 1992.

Related Topics:
United Kingdom - India - New Zealand - United States - Australia - Canada - IUPAC - Royal Society of Chemistry

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