Compare Sulfur vs Nitrogen: Periodic Table Element Comparison Table and Properties
Compare the elements Sulfur and Nitrogen on the basis of their properties, attributes and periodic table facts. Compare elements - Sulfur and Nitrogen comparison table side by side across over 90 properties. All the elements of similar categories show a lot of similarities and differences in their chemical, atomic, physical properties and uses. These similarities and dissimilarities should be known while we study periodic table elements. You can study the detailed comparison between Sulfur vs Nitrogen with most reliable information about their properties, attributes, facts, uses etc. You can compare S vs N on more than 90 properties like electronegativity, oxidation state, atomic shells, orbital structure, Electronaffinity, physical states, electrical conductivity and many more. This in-depth comparison helps students, educators, researchers, and science enthusiasts understand the differences and similarities between Sulfur and Nitrogen.
Sulfur and Nitrogen Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison between Sulfur (S) and Nitrogen (N), focusing on their position in the periodic table, physical and chemical properties, stability, and uses.
Facts - Basic Element Details
| Name | Sulfur | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 16 | 7 |
| Atomic Symbol | S | N |
| Atomic Weight | 32.065 | 14.0067 |
| Phase at STP | Solid | Gas |
| Color | Yellow | Colorless |
| Metallic Classification | Other Nonmetal | Other Nonmetal |
| Group in Periodic Table | group 16 | group 15 |
| Group Name | oxygen family | nitrogen family |
| Period in Periodic Table | period 3 | period 2 |
| Block in Periodic Table | p -block | p -block |
| Electronic Configuration | [Ne] 3s2 3p4 | [He] 2s2 2p3 |
| Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell) | 2, 8, 6 | 2, 5 |
| Melting Point | 388.36 K | 63.05 K |
| Boiling Point | 717.87 K | 77.36 K |
| CAS Number | CAS7704-34-9 | CAS7727-37-9 |
| Neighborhood Elements | Neighborhood Elements of Sulfur | Neighborhood Elements of Nitrogen |
History
| Parameter | Sulfur | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|
| History | The element Sulfur was discovered by Chinese/Indians in year Before 2000 BCE. Sulfur derived its name from the Latin word sulphur, 'fire and brimstone'. | The element Nitrogen was discovered by D. Rutherford in year 1772 in United Kingdom. Nitrogen derived its name from the Greek word nitron and '-gen' meaning 'niter-forming'. |
| Discovery | Chinese/Indians (Before 2000 BCE) | D. Rutherford (1772) |
| Isolated | () | D. Rutherford (1772) |
Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us
Parts per billion (ppb) by weight / by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %)
| Property | Sulfur | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|
| Abundance in Universe | 500000 / 20000 | 1000000 / 90000 |
| Abundance in Sun | 400000 / 10000 | 1000000 / 90000 |
| Abundance in Meteorites | 41000000 / 22000000 | 1400000 / 1400000 |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 420000 / 270000 | 20000 / 29000 |
| Abundance in Oceans | 928000 / 179000 | 500 / 220 |
| Abundance in Humans | 2000000 / 390000 | 26000000 / 12000000 |
Crystal Structure and Atomic Structure
| Property | Sulfur | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Volume | 15.53 cm3/mol | 22.4131 cm3/mol |
| Atomic Radius | 88 pm | 56 pm |
| Covalent Radius | 102 pm | 75 pm |
| Van der Waals Radius | 180 pm | 155 pm |
Atomic Spectrum - Spectral Lines | ||
| Emission Spectrum |  |  |
| Absorption Spectrum |  |  |
| Lattice Constant | 1043.7, 1284.5, 2436.9 pm | 386.1, 386.1, 626.5 pm |
| Lattice Angle | π/2, π/2, π/2 | π/2, π/2, 2 π/3 |
| Space Group Name | Fddd | P63/mmc |
| Space Group Number | 70 | 194 |
| Crystal Structure | Face Centered Orthorhombic  | Simple Hexagonal  |
Atomic and Orbital Properties
| Property | Sulfur | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 16 | 7 |
| Number of Electrons (with no charge) | 16 | 7 |
| Number of Protons | 16 | 7 |
| Mass Number | 32.065 | 14.0067 |
| Number of Neutrons | 16 | 7 |
| Shell structure (Electrons per energy level) | 2, 8, 6 | 2, 5 |
| Electron Configuration | [Ne] 3s2 3p4 | [He] 2s2 2p3 |
| Valence Electrons | 3s2 3p4 | 2s2 2p3 |
| Oxidation State | -2, 2, 4, 6 | -3, 3, 5 |
| Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) | 3P2 | 4S3/2 |
| Shell structure |  |  |
Isotopes and Nuclear Properties
Sulfur has 4 stable naturally occuring isotopes while Nitrogen has 2 stable naturally occuring isotopes.
| Parameter | Sulfur | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|
| Known Isotopes | 26S, 27S, 28S, 29S, 30S, 31S, 32S, 33S, 34S, 35S, 36S, 37S, 38S, 39S, 40S, 41S, 42S, 43S, 44S, 45S, 46S, 47S, 48S, 49S | 10N, 11N, 12N, 13N, 14N, 15N, 16N, 17N, 18N, 19N, 20N, 21N, 22N, 23N, 24N, 25N |
| Stable Isotopes | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 32S, 33S, 34S, 36S | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 14N, 15N |
| Neutron Cross Section | 0.52 | 1.91 |
| Neutron Mass Absorption | 0.00055 | 0.0048 |
Chemical Properties: Ionization Energies and electron affinity
| Property | Sulfur | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|
| Valence or Valency | 6 | 3 |
| Electronegativity | 2.58 Pauling Scale | 3.04 Pauling Scale |
| Oxidation State | -2, 2, 4, 6 | -3, 3, 5 |
| Electron Affinity | 200 kJ/mol | 7 kJ/mol |
| Ionization Energies | 1st: 999.6 kJ/mol 2nd: 2252 kJ/mol 3rd: 3357 kJ/mol 4th: 4556 kJ/mol 5th: 7004.3 kJ/mol 6th: 8495.8 kJ/mol 7th: 27107 kJ/mol 8th: 31719 kJ/mol 9th: 36621 kJ/mol 10th: 43177 kJ/mol 11th: 48710 kJ/mol 12th: 54460 kJ/mol 13th: 62930 kJ/mol 14th: 68216 kJ/mol 15th: 311048 kJ/mol 16th: 337138 kJ/mol | 1st: 1402.3 kJ/mol 2nd: 2856 kJ/mol 3rd: 4578.1 kJ/mol 4th: 7475 kJ/mol 5th: 9444.9 kJ/mol 6th: 53266.6 kJ/mol 7th: 64360 kJ/mol |
Physical Properties
Nitrogen (0.001251 g/cm³) is less dense than Sulfur (1.96 g/cm³). This means that a given volume of Sulfur will be heavier than the same volume of Nitrogen. Sulfur is about 156574.7 denser than Nitrogen
| Property | Sulfur | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|
| Phase at STP | Solid | Gas |
| Color | Yellow | Colorless |
| Density | 1.96 g/cm3 | 0.001251 g/cm3 |
| Density (when liquid (at melting point)) | 1.819 g/cm3 | - |
| Molar Volume | 15.53 cm3/mol | 22.4131 cm3/mol |
Mechanical and Hardness Properties
| Property | Sulfur | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|
Elastic Properties | ||
| Young Modulus | - | - |
| Shear Modulus | - | - |
| Bulk Modulus | 7.7 GPa | - |
| Poisson Ratio | - | - |
Hardness - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element | ||
| Mohs Hardness | 2 MPa | - |
| Vickers Hardness | - | - |
| Brinell Hardness | - | - |
Thermal and Electrical Conductivity
| Property | Sulfur | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|
Heat and Conduction Properties | ||
| Thermal Conductivity | 0.205 W/(m K) | 0.02583 W/(m K) |
| Thermal Expansion | - | - |
Electrical Properties | ||
| Electrical Conductivity | 1e-15 S/m | - |
| Resistivity | 1000000000000000 m Ω | - |
| Superconducting Point | - | - |
Magnetic and Optical Properties
| Property | Sulfur | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|
Magnetic Properties | ||
| Magnetic Type | Diamagnetic | Diamagnetic |
| Curie Point | - | - |
| Mass Magnetic Susceptibility | -6.2e-9 m3/kg | -5.4e-9 m3/kg |
| Molar Magnetic Susceptibility | -1.99e-10 m3/mol | -1.5e-10 m3/mol |
| Volume Magnetic Susceptibility | -0.0000122 | -6.8e-9 |
Optical Properties | ||
| Refractive Index | 1.001111 | 1.000298 |
Acoustic Properties | ||
| Speed of Sound | - | 333.6 m/s |
Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics
| Property | Sulfur | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|
| Melting Point | 388.36 K | 63.05 K |
| Boiling Point | 717.87 K | 77.36 K |
| Critical Temperature | 1314 K | 126.21 K |
| Superconducting Point | - | - |
Enthalpies | ||
| Heat of Fusion | 1.73 kJ/mol | 0.36 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Vaporization | 9.8 kJ/mol | 2.79 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Combustion | - | - |
Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines
| Parameter | Sulfur | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|
| CAS Number | CAS7704-34-9 | CAS7727-37-9 |
| RTECS Number | {RTECSWS4250000, N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A} | RTECSQW9700000 |
| DOT Hazard Class | 4.1 | 2.2 |
| DOT Numbers | 1350 | 1977 |
| EU Number | - | - |
| NFPA Fire Rating | - | 0 |
| NFPA Health Rating | - | 3 |
| NFPA Reactivity Rating | - | 0 |
| NFPA Hazards | - | - |
| AutoIgnition Point | - | - |
| Flashpoint | - | - |
Compare Sulfur and Nitrogen With Other Elements
Compare Sulfur and Nitrogen with other elements of the periodic table. Explore howSulfur and Nitrogen stack up against other elements of the periodic table. Use our interactive comparison tool to analyze 90+ properties across different metals, non-metals, metalloids, and noble gases. Understanding these differences is crucial for applications in engineering, chemistry, electronics, biology, and material science.
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