Inorganic chemistryLesson 9 of 11 in the course Representative Metals, Metalloids, and Nonmetals

Sulfur: Natural Occurrence, Frasch Extraction, and Chemical Behavior

5 flashcards · 4 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Sulfur occurs both as a free element and in many compounds. This lesson explores its natural sources, the Frasch process used to mine underground sulfur, sulfur’s allotropic forms, and its characteristic chemical behavior.

Hydrogen sulfide, H2SH_2S, is often present in natural gas and occurs in many volcanic gases. Sulfur is also a constituent of many proteins and is essential for life.

All flashcards

Where does sulfur occur naturally?
As elemental deposits, sulfide and sulfate minerals, hydrogen sulfide in natural and volcanic gases, and in proteins.
How does the Frasch process extract underground sulfur?
Superheated water melts the sulfur, and compressed air lifts the liquid sulfur to the surface, where it cools and solidifies.
What is the stable room-temperature form of sulfur?
It consists of eight-membered rings with the molecular formula S8S_8; equations often use SS as shorthand.
How pure is sulfur recovered by the Frasch process?
Typically 99.5% to 99.9% pure, so it generally needs no further purification for most uses.
What does sulfur's reaction with concentrated nitric acid demonstrate?
Sulfur can be oxidized to sulfate, where it has oxidation state +6+6; nitrogen is reduced to NO2NO_2.

Quiz questions

  1. Which set lists important sulfur-containing minerals?Answer: Sulfides of iron, zinc, lead, and copper; sulfates of sodium, calcium, barium, and magnesium.
  2. What conditions are used to send water down the outermost pipe in the Frasch process?Answer: About 170 ∘C170\ ^\circ\mathrm{C} and 10 atm.
  3. What is another significant source of sulfur besides underground elemental deposits?Answer: Hydrogen sulfide recovered during natural-gas purification.
  4. What does sulfur commonly form when it reacts with metals?Answer: Binary sulfides, in which sulfur commonly has oxidation state 2−2-.

Based on Chemistry 2e by Paul Flowers, Klaus Theopold, Richard Langley, William R. Robinson, PhD (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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