The atomic radius of sulfur is approximately 100 picometers (pm). This measurement represents the distance from the nucleus of a sulfur atom to the outer boundary of its electron cloud.
The atomic radius can vary depending on the chemical environment of the atom, but for sulfur, the 100 pm figure is widely accepted for its covalent radius. This means that when sulfur forms covalent bonds with other elements, the atomic radius helps determine the length of these bonds.
Understanding the atomic radius is important in fields like chemistry and materials science because it influences how sulfur interacts with other atoms and molecules. The relatively small radius of sulfur contributes to its ability to form various compounds, including important biological molecules like amino acids and proteins.