This experiment is for advanced students.

Brimstone is another name for sulfur, and if you’ve ever smelled it burn…..whoa….I’m telling you ….you will see for yourself in this lab. It is quite a smell, for sure. Sulfur is element #16 on the periodic table. Sulfur is used in fertilizer, black powder, matches, and insecticides. In pioneer times sulfur was put into patent medicines and used as a laxative.

To further the evil reputation of sulfur, or brimstone, when sulfur is burned in a coal fired power plant, sulfur dioxide is produced. The sulfur is spewed into the air, where it is reacts with moisture in the air to form sulfuric acid. The clouds get full and need to let go of this sulfuric acid. Down comes the acid rain to wreak havoc on the masonry and plant life below.

[am4show have=’p8;p9;p11;p38;p92;p52;p91;’ guest_error=’Guest error message’ user_error=’User error message’ ]

Materials:

• Goggles
• Gloves
• Measuring spoon
• Sulfur (MSDS)
• Alcohol burner
• Lighter
• Test tube of O₂

Be careful when bending the ends of your measuring spoon. Bend them where you need them and leave them alone. Continuing to bend, straighten, and re-bend will weaken the metal and cause your measuring spoon to break. We will do this experiment to compare the flames produced by burning sulfur in air and oxygen

C3000: Experiments: 36,60

Download Student Worksheet & Exercises

Here’s what’s going on in this experiment:

S + O₂ –> SO₂

Sulfur and oxygen are heated and sulfur dioxide is produced. This is a synthesis reaction because the sulfur and the oxygen react and form a new substance, sulfur dioxide. We see the flame of sulfur dioxide burn in air. Small flame, little smoke. When the flame is left lit and placed in the oxygen, the flame flares up and lots of white smoke is generated. It appears that sulfur’s flame burns brighter and stronger in pure oxygen.

Cleanup: We are going to clean everything thoroughly after we finish the lab. After cleaning with soap and water, rinse thoroughly. Chemists use the rule of “three” in cleaning glassware and tools. After washing, chemists rinse out all visible soap and then rinse three times more.

Storage: Place cleaned tools and glassware in their respective storage places.

Disposal: Liquids can be washed down the drain. Solids are thrown in the trash.

[/am4show]