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- 1. II-Adelfa Group 1 Presentation
Sulfur Cycle
2. What is sulfur?
Sulfur is the 10th most abundant element in the environment, with
atomic number 16. It is a bright yellow crystalline solid in its
normal state, with most of it stored underground in rocks and
minerals and in ocean floor deposits.
Sulfur is used for fertilizers, gunpowder, matches, and in
insecticides and fungicides. It is a part of vitamins, proteins and
hormones that are considered critical to climate and health of
various ecosystems.
3. Sulfur Cycle
4. Steps of Sulfur Cycle
The cycle begins with the weathering of rocks, which releases
stored sulfur.
Sulfur comes into contact with the air, converting it to sulfate
(SO4).
Sulfate is taken up by plants and microorganisms and is changed to
organic form.
Sulfur moves up the food chain.
When organisms die, some of the sulfur is released back to sulfate
and enter microorganisms.
5. Steps of Sulfur Cycle
Natural sources emit sulfur into the air.
Sulfur eventually settles back to the Earth or comes through
rainfall, with some also going to the ocean.
Sulfur is also drained to rivers and lakes, eventually to the
oceans.
Some of the sulfur from oceans go back to the atmosphere through
the sea spray.
Remaining sulfur go to ocean floor and form ferrous sulfide, which
is responsible for the black color of most marine sediments.
6. Effects of Sulfur Cycle on Nature
Sulfur is one of the processes that allow natural weathering and
other natural processes.
Sulfur Cycle does not allow acid rains because it regulates the
amount of sulfur present in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and
lithosphere.
Sulfuric acid forms sulfuric acid smog when it mixes with water
vapor.
7. Effects of Human Progress on the Sulfur Cycle
Human activities since the start of the Industrial Revolution
contributed to most of the sulfur that enters the atmosphere.
One-third of all sulfur that reaches the atmosphere comes from
human activities.
Emissions from human activities react to produce sulfate salts that
create acid rain.
Sulfur dioxide aerosols absorb ultraviolet rays, which cools areas
and offsets global warming caused by greenhouse effect.
8. Sources
Environmental Literacy Council, http://www.enviroliteracy.org
Carnegie Mellon University Environmental Decision Making,
http://telstar.ote.cmu.edu
Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur
9. Group Members
Chino Bandonil
Franco Caal
Ronilo del Rosario
Jherico Torres
NinsDajac