The Sulfur Cycle

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The Sulfur Cycle
By Carey Edwards and Chris Muse
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What is Sulfur?

• Sulfur is the 16th element on the periodic table
  with an atomic weight of 32.066.
• Sulfur is a nonmetallic that exists in several
  forms, the ordinary one being a yellow rhombic
  crystalline solid.

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The Cycle itself...
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Key Terms
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Oxidation

• The chemical combination of a substance with
  oxygen.

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Leaching

• To remove soluble or other constituents from by
  the action of a percolating liquid.

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Dissolution

• The process by which solid, gas, or liquid is
  dispersed homogeneously in a gas, solid, or
  liquid.

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Mineralization

• The process where a substance is converted from
  an organic substance to an inorganic substance.

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Facts about the Process

• Sulfur is a component of protein
• It goes through both a gas and sedimentary cycle
• The source of sulfur is primarily in the
  lithosphere.

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• Sulfur enters the atmosphere as Hydrogen
  Sulfide(H2S).
• This occurs during
• Fossil fuel combustion
• Volcanic eruptions
• Gas exchange at ocean surfaces
• Decomposition

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• Hydrogen Sulfide is immediately oxidized to
  Sulfur Dioxide(SO2)
• Sulfur Dioxide and water vapor combine to to form
  H2SO4(a weak sulfuric acid).
• This causes acid rain
• Once sulfur reaches its soluble form, it is
  taken up my plant roots and is turned into amino
  acids
• It then travels through the food chain and is
  eventually released through decomposition to
  start the cycle over again.

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Importance of Sulfur

• As part of four amino acids, sulfur is necessary
  to perform a number of functions in enzyme
  reactions and protein synthesis.
• During sulfate reduction, large amounts of energy
  from the respired organic matter are conserved in
  inorganic reduced sulfur compounds.
• When these reduced sulfur compounds are oxidized,
  energy is released back into the environment.

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Bibliography

• http//www.agnr.umd.edu/users/agron/nutrient/Facts
  hee/sulfur/Sulfur.html
• http//www.agnr.umd.edu/users/agron/nutrient/Facts
  hee/sulfur/Sulfur.html
• http//www.lenntech.com/sulfur-cycle.htm
• http//www.drlera.com/MINERALS/sulfur.htm
• http//dictionary.com
• http//www.springerlink.com/content/b13v7618k68587
  23/

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The End