2012-08-20
[public] 42.0K views, 560 likes, 6.00 dislikes audio only
Fluorine Gas and Sulfur - part of our "Berzelius Day" uploading 24 videos in 24 hours. Full video containing this reaction at: /youtube/video/vtWp45Eewtw
NOTE FROM THE PROFESSOR: This is a very violent reaction so many things may be going on. In the molecular structure of solid sulfur, one finds S8 rings. At the simplest level, these react to form SF6; S8 + 48F2 → 8SF6. However, this reaction is involves a jet of F2 gas so there may not be enough fluorine and some SF4 may be formed. SF4 can react violently with water in the air to form SO2 and HF. In addition, the reaction heats the sulfur causing it to melt and the S8 molecules to break up forming longer chains of sulfur atoms which have a brownish colour. This hot sulfur can also react with O2 in the air to burn to form SO2.
See our 24 reactions playlist as it unfolds at: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6E4F35510525FFF7
Berzelius Day explained: /youtube/video/wDXUDq2KLM4
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From the School of Chemistry at The University of Nottingham: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/chemistry/index.aspx
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