Question

Is sulfur a metal, metalloid, or nonmetal? What is its family name?

Answer 1

Metal, nonmetals, and metalloids:

• The elements (except hydrogen) that can form cations by losing electrons within a chemical reaction are known as metals
• The elements which have a tendency to gain electrons and form anions within a chemical reaction are known as nonmetals.
• The elements which tend to behave as both metals and nonmetals under specific conditions are known as metalloids.

Sulfur$\left(\mathrm{S}\right)$:

• The atomic number of the chemical element sulfur is$16$
• The electronic configuration of sulfur is $1s^{2}2s^{2}2p^{6}3s^{2}3p^4$.
• Sulfur belongs to the third period and ${16}^{\mathrm{th}}$ group that is the Oxygen family(chalcogens family).
• It is a poor conductor of heat and electricity because the electrons are not free to move.
• Sulfur is not lustrous and It reacts with oxygen to form sulfur dioxide that is acidic in nature, hence it is non-metal.