Question

A sulfur atom and a sulfur molecule are not identical. What is the difference?

Short answer

A sulfur atom does not exist in nature, while a sulfur molecule exists. The reasons are given as follows:

Step-by-step solution

Describing the structure of the sulfur molecule

Sulfur exists inallotropic forms. Each S forms two bonds in this structure, with each S atom having two lone pairs.

The sulfur molecule has a crown-like cyclic or ring octagonal structure with the formula of S₈.

Describing the sulfur exists in molecular rather than atomic with S8 molecular formula

The sulphur atom has an electronic configuration of 1s²,2s² 2p⁶,3s² 3p⁴. For complete stability, the last two half-filled orbitals need to be filled. Hence, to gain a stable electronic configuration sulfur atom shares electrons with another sulfur atom and forms two covalent bonds each.

Also, the sulfur atom is large with the Vander Waals force between the atoms. It forms a pi-pi bond but is not stable as oxygen.

Therefore, the sulfur atom and sulfur molecule are not identical, and the sulfur does not exist in nature in atomic form while the molecular form exists.