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Sulfur
Electron Configuration 2,8,6
Electron Configuration [Ne] 3s2 3p4
Ground state 3P2
Atomic Volume 15.5 g/cm3
Electronegativity 2.58
Magnetic ordering No data
Mass magnetic susceptibility -6.2 x 10-9
Molar magnetic susceptibility -1.99 x 10-10
Thermal Properties
Enthalpy of Atomization 278.7 kJ mol-1 @25°C
Enthalpy of Fusion 1.23 kJ mol-1
Enthalpy of Vaporisation 9.62 kJ mol-1
Heat Capacity 22.75 J mol-1 K-1
Thermal Conductivity (amorphous) 0.205 W m-1 K-1
Thermal Expansion No data.
Hardness
Mohs hardness 2.0
Elastic Properties
Bulk modulus 7.7 GPa
Electrical Properties
Electrical resistivity 2 x 1015 Ω m
Electrical conductivity No data.
Chemical Properties
Electrochemical Equivalent 0.299 g Ah-1
Valence Electron Potential (-eV) 160
Ionization Potential  
First 10.36
Second 23.33
Third 34.83
Optical Properties
Refractive Index (gas) 1.001111
Energy Levels
Kα1 (intensity 100) 2.30784 KeV
Kα2 (intensity 0) 2.30664 KeV
Kβ1 (intensity 6.5) 2.46404 KeV
Lα1 (intensity 100) 0.1486 KeV
Lγ3 (intensity 0) 0.149 KeV
Ll (intensity 100) 0.1486 KeV
Atomic Radii
Empirical 100 pm
Bohr Radius 88 pm
Covalent Radius 102 pm
Van der Waals 180 pm
Triple covalent 95 pm
Metallic No data.
Ionic Radii (Å)
Charge Coordination Crystal Ionic Key
-1  VI 1.7 1.84 P
VI 0.51 0.37 A
IV 0.26 0.12 *
VI 0.43 0.29 C
R, From r3 vs V plots.
C, Calculated from bond length - bond strength equations.
E, Estimated.
*, Most Reliable.
M, From Metallic Oxides.
A, Ahrens (1952) Ionic radius.
P, Pauling's (1960) Crystal Radius.
Oxidation States
Main S-2, S0, S+6
Other S-1, S+1, S+2, S+3, S+4, S+5
Ionisation Energies (kJ mol-1) show graph
M - M+ 999.6
M+ - M2+ 2251
M2+ - M3+ 3361
M3+ - M4+ 4564
M4+ - M5+ 7013
M5+ - M6+ 8495
M6+ - M7+ 27106
M7+ - M8+ 31669
M8+ - M9+ 36578
M9+ - M10+ 43138
Covalent Bonds (kJ mol-1)
S-H 347
S-C 272
S=C 476
S-O 265
S=O 525
S-F 328
S-Cl 255
S-S 226
Vapour Pressure
P (Pa) 1 10 100 1K 10K 100K
T (K) 375 408 449 508 591 717
Crystal Structure
Structure Orthorhombic
a = 1043.7 pm
b = 1284.5 pm
c = 2436.9 pm
α = 90°
β = 90°
γ = 90°