Sumpor / Sulfur (S)

Sumpor je hemijski element atomskog broja 16. U periodnom sistemu elemenata predstavlja ga simbol S.

Sumpor je na sobnoj temperaturi krutina u finom prahu bez mirisa svijetložute boje.

Mirisom podsjeća na šibice, lagan je i mekan. Netopljiv u vodi, ali je topljiv u nepolarnim otapalima, primjerice ugljikovu disulfidu (CS2), tetetraklorugljiku (CCl4) i toluenu (C6H5CH3). Slab je vodič topline i elektriciteta.

Gori plavičastim plamenom pri čemu nastaje sumporov dioksid (SO2). Na povišenim temperaturama tvori spojeve s hlorom, ugljikom, željezom i drugim elementima.

Kristali su mu žute boje, a najčešće se pojavljuje kao sulfat i sulfit, ili čak kao elementarni sumpor. Sumpor se u prirodi može naći u elementarnom stanju na površinskim dijelovima Zemljine kore, mada je zastupljenost sumpora u Zemljinoj kori vrlo mala, a u mineralima i rudama znatna. Elementarnu prirodu sumpora spoznao je Lavoisier 1777. godine. Najvažniji minerali sumpora su: pirit (FeS2), sfalerit (ZnS), halkopirit (CuFeS2), galenit (PbS), cinabarit (HgS), sadra (CaSO4 x 2H2O). Upotreba sumpora je raznolika: u medicini, proizvodnja najbitnije kiseline u industriji; sumporne kiseline, te proizvodnja ugljikova disulfida. Sumpor se najviše upotrebljava kao jedna od sirovina za gnojiva, insekticide, fungicide, lijekove, organske boje, barut,  koristi se za proizvodnju automobilskih guma (vulkanizacija gume), također se koristi za sumporenje bačvi u vinogradarstvu. Sumporna kiselina je komponenta kisele kiše, koja zagađuje i značajno umanjuje pH vrijednost tla i voda, što često ima pogubne posljedice na okolinu.  

Sulfur is a chemical element of atomic (ordinal) number 16 and atomic mass 32,065 .  In the periodic table of elements, it is represented by the symbol S. Sulfur is a solid powder at room temperature without a light yellow odor. It smells like matches, it is light and soft.  Insoluble in water, but soluble in non-polar solvents, such as carbon disulfide (CS2), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and toluene (C6H5CH3).  It is a weak conductor of heat and electricity. It burns with a bluish flame to form sulfur dioxide (SO2).  At elevated temperatures it forms compounds with chlorine, carbon, iron and other elements. Its crystals are yellow in color, and it most often appears as sulfate and sulfite, or even as elemental sulfur.  Sulfur can be found in nature in its elemental state on the surface parts of the Earth's crust, although the presence of sulfur in the Earth's crust is very small, and in minerals and ores is significant.  The elemental nature of sulfur was realized by Lavoisier in 1777.  The most important sulfur minerals are: pyrite (FeS2), sphalerite (ZnS), chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), galena (PbS), cinnabarite (HgS), gypsum (CaSO4 x 2H2O).  The use of sulfur is diverse: in medicine, the production of the most essential acid in industry;  sulfuric acid, and the production of carbon disulfide.  Sulfur is mostly used as one of the raw materials for fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, medicines, organic paints, gunpowder, it is used for the production of car tires (rubber vulcanization), it is also used for sulfurization of barrels in viticulture.  Sulfuric acid is a component of acid rain, which pollutes and significantly reduces the pH of soil and water, which often has detrimental effects on the environment.