Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Sulfur Cycle within Oakland


Sulfur a very useful nonmetallic element is used for many things in the United States once it is combined with other elements. Sulfuric acid is a very useful compound. (Oxygen Family)

Sulfur comes from the earth's crust and reaches the atmosphere often when a volcano erupts. It can be found in animals, plants, soil and microorganisms. When these creatures die that sulfur is released back into the atmosphere with their decomposition. The sulfur in the atmosphere becomes sulfur dioxide when it reacts with oxygen and once it reacts with the water vapor rising from the earth it becomes sulfur acid and comes back as acid rain or snow. The law of conservation of matter says that no matter is ever lost or created and the sulfur cycle proves this as it is absorbed back into the ground and it completes its rotation through its environment, in which no new sulfur is made and none of it is destroyed.

In my home in particular a lot of hydrogen sulfide is released into the air from all the hard boiled eggs me and my mom eat, especially around Easter. I am pretty sure the neighbors' cats contribute to the releasing of atmospheric sulfur by killing birds. Apparently birds require a lot of sulfur to form feathers. The same two neighbors also have two hens that lay eggs for them, which most likely adds to the sulfur the same.
As far as I know there has been no acid rain in Oakland so most of the sulfur would have to complete its rotation through the decay of other organic matter.

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