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Mark Potter

What is the difference between zinc and sulphur?

Andy Heilveil  Follow
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Kollol Hossan  Follow

About 227%, according to a quick Amazon search.

In dollars, that is.

“Organic” zinc is marketing hype for rubes. Zinc is, by definition, an inorganic mineral. It is neither grown nor raised, so “organic” standards for, say, crops or livestock don’t apply.

Organic zinc is like non-GMO salt:

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Charles Foy  Follow

Zinc granules and zinc powder are chemically identical. The particle size is different. Granules are around 30 mesh (695 microns) where zinc powder is usually around 100 mesh (150 microns or less). In a reaction with other chemicals, the powder will react faster due to increased surface area. That is assuming a reaction with that other chemical is possible.

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Benson Wangombe  Follow

Sulfur is the preferred spelling in American English. While Sulphur is the preferred spelling in British English.

This substance is a mineral which has atomic no. - 16 .

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Dental Private  Follow

The Sulphur Atom

A sulphur atom (S) is a collection of 16 protons, 16 electrons (and a certain number of neutrons which can differ between various sulphur atoms). Protons and electrons carry a charge which is equal in magnitude (i.e. “1”), but opposite in sign:

  • charge of a proton: +1
  • charge of an electron: -1

In a sulphur atom with an equal number of protons and an equal number of electrons, those “+1” and “-1” charges cancel each other out and the atom remains neutral.

The Sulphide Ion

The sulphide ion (S^2-) is a collection of 16 protons, 18 electrons (and, again, a number of neutrons we mustn’t spend any time on now). The additional 2 electrons are responsible for a net charge of -2. In the symbolical representation of the ion, the “-” and the “2” usually switch sides, hence: S^2-.

Summary

The ‘atom’ is electrically neutral; the ‘ion’ isn’t. The underlying reason is the number of protons and electrons. Atoms have equal numbers of both; ions haven’t.

I hope that was helpful.

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Brian Asbury  Follow

Ksp of CuS is much lower than that of ZnS.

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