Iron sulfide facts for kids
Iron sulfide is a common chemical compound made from iron and sulfur. You can think of it as a tiny building block (a molecule) where one iron atom is joined with one sulfur atom. It's usually a black solid.
When we talk about "iron sulfides" (plural), we mean a whole family of compounds made of iron and sulfur. One famous example is pyrite, which is also known as "fool's gold." Pyrite is shiny and looks like real gold, but it's just a mineral!
What is Iron Sulfide?
Iron sulfide, or FeS, is a simple compound. The "Fe" stands for iron, and the "S" stands for sulfur. In this compound, the iron is in a special form called its "+2 oxidation state," which just means how it likes to connect with other atoms.
If you mix iron sulfide with strong acids, like the kind found in some cleaners (hydrochloric acid), it creates a gas called hydrogen sulfide. This gas has a very strong smell, like rotten eggs!
Fool's Gold: Pyrite
One of the most well-known iron sulfides is pyrite, or FeS2. This means it has one iron atom and two sulfur atoms. Pyrite is a mineral found naturally in the ground.
Pyrite is famous for its shiny, metallic look and bright golden color. Because it looks so much like gold, people sometimes call it "fool's gold." It's not valuable like real gold, but it's a cool mineral to find!
Natural Iron Sulfide Minerals
There are several types of iron sulfide minerals found in nature. They are all made of iron and sulfur, but they have slightly different structures or amounts of each element. Here are some of them, listed from less stable to more stable forms:
- Iron(II) sulfide (FeS): This is the simplest and less stable form.
- Greigite (Fe3S4): This one is similar to magnetite, which is a magnetic iron oxide.
- Pyrrhotite (Fe1−xS): This mineral can have slightly different amounts of iron.
- Troilite (FeS): This is a specific type of pyrrhotite.
- Mackinawite (Fe1+xS): This form has a bit more iron than sulfur.
- Marcasite (FeS2): This is another form of iron disulfide, like pyrite, but it has a different crystal shape.
- Pyrite (FeS2): This is the most stable and common form of iron disulfide, famous as "fool's gold."
See also
In Spanish: Sulfuro de hierro para niños
