Compare Sulfur vs Phosphorus: Periodic Table Element Comparison Table and Properties
Compare the elements Sulfur and Phosphorus on the basis of their properties, attributes and periodic table facts. Compare elements - Sulfur and Phosphorus 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 Phosphorus with most reliable information about their properties, attributes, facts, uses etc. You can compare S vs P 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 Phosphorus.
Sulfur and Phosphorus Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison between Sulfur (S) and Phosphorus (P), focusing on their position in the periodic table, physical and chemical properties, stability, and uses.
Facts - Basic Element Details
| Name | Sulfur | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 16 | 15 |
| Atomic Symbol | S | P |
| Atomic Weight | 32.065 | 30.973761 |
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| 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 3 |
| Block in Periodic Table | p -block | p -block |
| Electronic Configuration | [Ne] 3s2 3p4 | [Ne] 3s2 3p3 |
| Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell) | 2, 8, 6 | 2, 8, 5 |
| Melting Point | 388.36 K | 317.3 K |
| Boiling Point | 717.87 K | 553.6 K |
| CAS Number | CAS7704-34-9 | CAS7723-14-0 |
| Neighborhood Elements | Neighborhood Elements of Sulfur | Neighborhood Elements of Phosphorus |
History
| Parameter | Sulfur | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Phosphorus was discovered by H. Brand in year 1669 in Germany. Phosphorus derived its name from the Greek word phoosphoros, 'carrying light'. |
| Discovery | Chinese/Indians (Before 2000 BCE) | H. Brand (1669) |
| Isolated | () | H. Brand (1669) |
Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us
Parts per billion (ppb) by weight / by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %)
| Property | Sulfur | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|
| Abundance in Universe | 500000 / 20000 | 7000 / 300 |
| Abundance in Sun | 400000 / 10000 | 7000 / 300 |
| Abundance in Meteorites | 41000000 / 22000000 | 1100000 / 700000 |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 420000 / 270000 | 1000000 / 700000 |
| Abundance in Oceans | 928000 / 179000 | 70 / 14 |
| Abundance in Humans | 2000000 / 390000 | 11000000 / 2200000 |
Crystal Structure and Atomic Structure
| Property | Sulfur | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Volume | 15.53 cm3/mol | 16.991 cm3/mol |
| Atomic Radius | 88 pm | 98 pm |
| Covalent Radius | 102 pm | 106 pm |
| Van der Waals Radius | 180 pm | 180 pm |
Atomic Spectrum - Spectral Lines | ||
| Emission Spectrum |  | Not available |
| Absorption Spectrum |  |  |
| Lattice Constant | 1043.7, 1284.5, 2436.9 pm | 1145, 550.3, 1126.1 pm |
| Lattice Angle | π/2, π/2, π/2 | 1.25384, 1.57725, 1.24896 |
| Space Group Name | Fddd | P-1 |
| Space Group Number | 70 | 2 |
| Crystal Structure | Face Centered Orthorhombic  | Simple Triclinic  |
Atomic and Orbital Properties
| Property | Sulfur | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 16 | 15 |
| Number of Electrons (with no charge) | 16 | 15 |
| Number of Protons | 16 | 15 |
| Mass Number | 32.065 | 30.973761 |
| Number of Neutrons | 16 | 16 |
| Shell structure (Electrons per energy level) | 2, 8, 6 | 2, 8, 5 |
| Electron Configuration | [Ne] 3s2 3p4 | [Ne] 3s2 3p3 |
| Valence Electrons | 3s2 3p4 | 3s2 3p3 |
| 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 Phosphorus has 1 stable naturally occuring isotopes.
| Parameter | Sulfur | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 24P, 25P, 26P, 27P, 28P, 29P, 30P, 31P, 32P, 33P, 34P, 35P, 36P, 37P, 38P, 39P, 40P, 41P, 42P, 43P, 44P, 45P, 46P |
| Stable Isotopes | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 32S, 33S, 34S, 36S | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 31P |
| Neutron Cross Section | 0.52 | 0.18 |
| Neutron Mass Absorption | 0.00055 | 0.0002 |
Chemical Properties: Ionization Energies and electron affinity
| Property | Sulfur | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|
| Valence or Valency | 6 | 5 |
| Electronegativity | 2.58 Pauling Scale | 2.19 Pauling Scale |
| Oxidation State | -2, 2, 4, 6 | -3, 3, 5 |
| Electron Affinity | 200 kJ/mol | 72 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: 1011.8 kJ/mol 2nd: 1907 kJ/mol 3rd: 2914.1 kJ/mol 4th: 4963.6 kJ/mol 5th: 6273.9 kJ/mol 6th: 21267 kJ/mol 7th: 25431 kJ/mol 8th: 29872 kJ/mol 9th: 35905 kJ/mol 10th: 40950 kJ/mol 11th: 46261 kJ/mol 12th: 54110 kJ/mol 13th: 59024 kJ/mol 14th: 271791 kJ/mol 15th: 296195 kJ/mol |
Physical Properties
Phosphorus (1.823 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 Phosphorus. Sulfur is about 7.5 denser than Phosphorus
| Property | Sulfur | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| Color | Yellow | Colorless |
| Density | 1.96 g/cm3 | 1.823 g/cm3 |
| Density (when liquid (at melting point)) | 1.819 g/cm3 | - |
| Molar Volume | 15.53 cm3/mol | 16.991 cm3/mol |
Mechanical and Hardness Properties
| Property | Sulfur | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|
Elastic Properties | ||
| Young Modulus | - | - |
| Shear Modulus | - | - |
| Bulk Modulus | 7.7 GPa | 11 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 | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|
Heat and Conduction Properties | ||
| Thermal Conductivity | 0.205 W/(m K) | 0.236 W/(m K) |
| Thermal Expansion | - | - |
Electrical Properties | ||
| Electrical Conductivity | 1e-15 S/m | 10000000 S/m |
| Resistivity | 1000000000000000 m Ω | 1e-7 m Ω |
| Superconducting Point | - | - |
Magnetic and Optical Properties
| Property | Sulfur | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|
Magnetic Properties | ||
| Magnetic Type | Diamagnetic | Diamagnetic |
| Curie Point | - | - |
| Mass Magnetic Susceptibility | -6.2e-9 m3/kg | -1.13e-8 m3/kg |
| Molar Magnetic Susceptibility | -1.99e-10 m3/mol | -3.5e-10 m3/mol |
| Volume Magnetic Susceptibility | -0.0000122 | -0.0000206 |
Optical Properties | ||
| Refractive Index | 1.001111 | 1.001212 |
Acoustic Properties | ||
| Speed of Sound | - | - |
Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics
| Property | Sulfur | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|
| Melting Point | 388.36 K | 317.3 K |
| Boiling Point | 717.87 K | 553.6 K |
| Critical Temperature | 1314 K | - |
| Superconducting Point | - | - |
Enthalpies | ||
| Heat of Fusion | 1.73 kJ/mol | 0.64 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Vaporization | 9.8 kJ/mol | 12.4 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Combustion | - | - |
Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines
| Parameter | Sulfur | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|
| CAS Number | CAS7704-34-9 | CAS7723-14-0 |
| RTECS Number | {RTECSWS4250000, N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A} | {N/A, RTECSTH3495000, RTECSTH3500000, N/A} |
| DOT Hazard Class | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| DOT Numbers | 1350 | {1338, 1381, 2447} |
| EU Number | - | - |
| NFPA Fire Rating | - | 4 |
| NFPA Health Rating | - | 4 |
| NFPA Reactivity Rating | - | 2 |
| NFPA Hazards | - | - |
| AutoIgnition Point | - | - |
| Flashpoint | - | - |
Compare Sulfur and Phosphorus With Other Elements
Compare Sulfur and Phosphorus with other elements of the periodic table. Explore howSulfur and Phosphorus 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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