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Naming History
The name for Sulfur could be from two possible words, the Sanskrit word sulvere or the Latin word sulfurium which are ancient names for Sulfur used by civilizations. Both Sulfur and Sulphur were used as spellings for the element until the IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) decided that sulfur was the one that would be used. Sulfur compounds often have the prefix thio- which originates from the Greek word Theo meaning God due to the use of Sulfur in incense used to worship.
Discovery
Sulfur was used throughout ancient times with it being mentioned in the Bible 15 times as well as in the Homer's Odyssey. Sulfur, along with Mercury, was thought to be a component of all metals until into the 1700s when Antoine Lavoisier throught that Sulfur was instead its own element. In 1809 it was the two chemists Louis-Josef Gay-Lussac and Louis-Jacques Thenard that proved Sulfur was an element.
Characteristics
Sulfur is an extremely useful and important element due to its prescence in amino acids necessary for life and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) which is an important raw material for many industries.
Human blood contains around 1,800 parts per million (ppm) Sulfur.
Sulfur is also found in bone making up between 500 and 2,400 ppm.
Sulfur can also be found in human tissues with amounts ranging from 5,000 to 12,000 ppm.
There is around 140 g of Sulfur found in the human body.
Sulfur is the 17th most abundant element in the Earth's crust making up 260 ppm.
Sulfur is a small component of the atmosphere making up 1 part per billion (ppb) from various gases.
Many different bad smells such as rotting eggs are due to various Sulfur containing.
Naturally Occurring Minerals
There are many sulfide minerals such as pyrite (FeS2), marcasite (FeS2), stibnite (Sb2S3), galena (PbS), cinnabar (HgS) and sphalerite (ZnS). In addition to sulfide minerals Sulfur is also present as a sulfate in many minerals like anhydrite (CaSO4) and epsomite (MgSO4). World production of Sulfur exceeds 70 million tonnes per year and world reserves are estimated to be around 2.5 billion tonnes.
Where can I find this element @ home
The average person consumes roughly 900 mg of Sulfur per day.
Sulfur is a key component in the essential amino acid methionine and is found in numerous protein foods, especially fish and meats.
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is used as a preservative in some foods and drinks.
Vitamin B contains a key Sulfur atom that allows it to preform its biological role.