Sulfur

element · yellow · chemistry · nonmetal

Bright yellow solid. Sulfur is one of the few elements that looks like a cheerful yellow crystal you can actually see and hold. At room temperature, it's a solid that forms eight-atom rings called S8 molecules.

Super stinky stuff. Sulfur has a very distinctive rotten egg smell. This is why you notice it coming from volcanoes and hot springs where sulfur gases escape from deep inside the Earth.

Found everywhere. Sulfur is abundant on our planet, meaning there's a lot of it hanging around in soil, rocks, and even in living things like plants and animals. It's one of the most common elements on Earth.

Element number 16. Sulfur has the symbol S and atomic number 16, which means it has 16 protons in its nucleus. It's a nonmetal, so it doesn't behave like metals such as copper or iron.

Many uses. Humans use sulfur to make gunpowder, fertilizers, and medicines. It's also used to vulcanize rubber so tires stay strong and bouncy.