By Kam Leung

Isabelle Lindberg

Johara Alangari

*Sulfur Cycle

*Sulfur overview

*Sulfur is the tenth most abundant element in the universe

*It is a brittle, yellow, tasteless, and odorless non-metallic element.

*Sulfur is found in all living organisms as a constituent of some proteins, vitamins, and hormones

*The majority of the Earth's sulfur is stored underground in rocks and minerals, including as sulfate salts buried deep within ocean sediments.

*Sulfur cycle Interaction with

life*Releases through volcanic eruption or weathering of rocks

*Sulfur comes in contact with air and converting it into Sulfate

*The sulfate is taken up by plants and microorganisms and is converted into organic forms such as proteins and vitamins

*As the organism gets eaten it moves up the food chain

*Sulfur cycle in the Atmosphere

*Sulfur gets released in to the atmosphere from natural sources

*Sulfur eventually settles back into the Earth or comes down within rainfall. A continuous loss of sulfur from terrestrial ecosystem runoff occurs through drainage into lakes and streams, and eventually oceans.

*Some of the sulfur falls the depths of the oceans combining with iron to form ferrous sulfide which is responsible for the black color of most marine sediments.

*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

*Sulfur acid forms sulfuric acid smog when mixes with water vapor

*The Human effect

*Since the Industrial Revolution, human activities have contributed to the amount of sulfur that enters the atmosphere

*Emissions from these activities, along with nitrogen emissions, react with other chemicals in the atmosphere to produce tiny particles of sulfate salts which fall as acid rain

*However, as particles and tiny airborne droplets, sulfur also acts as a regulator of global climate

*Sulfur cycle summary

*Bibliography

* "Desktop Wallpaper · Gallery · 3D-Art · Art Nature | Free Background 1024x768." Desktop Wallpaper · Wallpapers Downloads | Free Background. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://wallpapers.free-review.net/12__Art_Nature.htm>.

* "Sheep Clouds." Alaska Stock Photography - Alaska Pictures and Photos from the Last Frontier. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/sheep-clouds-1034-pictures.htm>.

* "Sulfur Cycle." The Environmental Literacy Council. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/1348.html>.

* "Sulfur Cycle." Water Treatment and Purification - Lenntech. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://www.lenntech.com/sulphur-cycle.htm>.