{"id":171,"date":"2020-04-09T09:45:46","date_gmt":"2020-04-09T09:45:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thechemicalelements.com\/?page_id=171"},"modified":"2023-08-15T15:51:35","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T15:51:35","slug":"tin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thechemicalelements.com\/tin\/","title":{"rendered":"Tin (Sn)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tin is a chemical element with the atomic number 50 in the periodic table. It\u2019s the 49th most plentiful element found in Earth\u2019s crust. Being a member of the post-transition metal family of periodic, the element 50 has four valence electrons and three allotropes. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the pure, elemental form of tin is classified as a non-toxic substance, the numerous organotin compounds (hydrides), and inorganic compounds (such as tin tetraiodide, tin tetrabromide) may be extremely toxic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chemical and Physical Properties of Tin<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Property<\/strong><\/td>Value<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Symbol<\/td>Sn<\/td><\/tr>
Name<\/td>Tin<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic number<\/td>50<\/td><\/tr>
Group<\/td>Metal<\/td><\/tr>
Period<\/td>5 (p-block)<\/td><\/tr>
Color<\/td>A silvery-gray metal<\/td><\/tr>
Physical state<\/td>Solid at 20\u00b0C<\/td><\/tr>
Half-life<\/td>From 5 milliseconds to 230,000 years<\/td><\/tr>
Electronegativity<\/td>1.96<\/td><\/tr>
Density<\/td>7.30 g\/cm\u00b3<\/td><\/tr>
Melting point<\/td>231.928\u00b0C, 449.47\u00b0F, 505.078 K<\/td><\/tr>
Boiling point<\/td>2586\u00b0C, 4687\u00b0F, 2859 K<\/td><\/tr>
Van der Waals radius<\/td>0.162 nm<\/td><\/tr>
Ionic radius<\/td>0.71 nm (+4)<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic weight<\/td>118.71 g.mol-1<\/td><\/tr>
Most characteristic isotope<\/td>120Sn<\/td><\/tr>
Electronic shell<\/td>[Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p2<\/td><\/tr>
The energy of the first ionization<\/td>708.4 kJ.mol-1<\/td><\/tr>
The energy of the second ionization<\/td>1411.4 kJ.mol-1<\/td><\/tr>
The energy of the third ionization<\/td>2942.2 kJ.mol-1<\/td><\/tr>
The energy of the fourth ionization<\/td>3929.3 kJ.mol-1<\/td><\/tr>
Crystal Structure<\/td>Tetragonal<\/td><\/tr>
Shells<\/td>2,8,18,18,4<\/td><\/tr>
Valence<\/td>2,4<\/td><\/tr>
Covalent Radius<\/td>1.41 \u00c5<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic Radius<\/td>1.72 \u00c5<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic Volume<\/td>16.3 cm\u00b3\/mol<\/td><\/tr>
Name Origin<\/td>Named after Etruscan god, Tinia<\/td><\/tr>
Discoverer<\/td>Known to the ancients<\/td><\/tr>
Year<\/td>Unknown<\/td><\/tr>
Location<\/td>Unknown<\/td><\/tr>
Pronunciation<\/td>TIN<\/td><\/tr>
Oxydation States<\/td>(4),2<\/td><\/tr>
Uses<\/td>Used in steel cans, solder, bronze, pewter, and toothpaste<\/td><\/tr>
Description<\/td>Hard, brittle, silvery-white semimetal<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With the periodic table symbol Sn, atomic number 50, atomic mass of 118.69 g.mol<\/span>-1<\/span>, and electron configuration [Kr] 4d<\/span>10<\/span>5s<\/span>2<\/span>5p<\/span>2<\/span>, tin is a soft, pliable, and easily malleable silvery-white metal. It reaches its boiling point at 2586\u00b0C, 4687\u00b0F, 2859 K, while the melting point is achieved at 231.928\u00b0C, 449.47\u00b0F, 505.078 K. This member of the post-transition metals family of elements has an electronegativity of 1.8 according to Pauling, whereas the atomic radius according to van der Waals is 0.162 nm. Tin displays strong anti-corrosive properties, even when it\u2019s exposed to seawater, distilled, or tap water.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two basic allotropes of tin metal: <\/span>white tin (Sn) <\/span><\/i> and <\/span>gray tin (Sn)<\/span><\/i>. While white tin is the form of element 50 which is widely used in everyday life, the gray form is a non-metallic allomorph of this chemical that occurs in a form of a powder. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When molten tin cools down, the third allotrope of this element forms in rhombic crystals. This brittle form of tin is conveniently labeled as <\/span>rhombic tin (Sn)<\/span><\/i>. This transition of the pure, elemental form of tin occurs when this chemical is exposed to a temperature below 13.2oC. \u201cTin pest\u201d refers to the reverse transformation that occurs rapidly at low temperatures. It can be prevented by small amounts of copper<\/a>, lead, antimony<\/a>, bismuth<\/a>, silver<\/a>, or gold<\/a>, which naturally occur in the commercially produced tin.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How Was Tin Discovered?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The discovery story of element 50 originates from ancient times. For this reason, the world of science lacks information on who was <\/span>the discoverer<\/span><\/a> of tin. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archaeological researches provide evidence for the so-called \u2018tin route\u2019 stretching over the Balkan peninsula (mostly Greece and Turkey) and Israel. However, ancient Greeks seem to have had another source for tin, located in Great Britain and Spain. They have referred to these locations rich in tin ores as \u2018<\/span>The Cassiterides<\/span><\/a>\u2019. During the Bronze Age, tin was used as a part of bronze. Added to bronze, tin would add hardness to copper.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How Did Tin Get Its Name?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The name of this element is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘<\/span>tin<\/span><\/i>‘, with an unknown meaning. The symbol Sn for the element 50 presents an abbreviation of the Latin word for the element tin, \u2018<\/span>stannum<\/span><\/i>\u2019, that originates from the Indo-European term for \u2018dripping\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Where Can You Find Tin?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There’s about 0.001 percent of tin in Earth\u2018s crust. In the Universe, element 50 occurs as a product of neutron absorption. Since tin ore is resistant to weathering and the tin oxide (SnO<\/span>2<\/span>) is insoluble, there is low absorption of element 50 in both soil and waters. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naturally occurring tin can be found in the ore labeled as cassiterite (tin(IV) oxide). This post-transition metal can be also extracted from a few other tin-containing minerals, such as teallite, cylindrite, tannite, canfieldite, and franckeite. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For commercial purposes, tin is mainly obtained by reducing the ore with coal in a furnace.  It\u2019s smelted at temperatures of up to 2500\u00b0F (1370\u00b0C) with carbon<\/a>. This chemical reaction produces low purity tin and CO<\/span>2<\/span> gas. After this step, tin is further refined to a tin metal of high purity (>99%) by boiling, electrolysis, or liquidation. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The world\u2019s largest tin mines are located in China, Peru, Bolivia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. These countries form the \u2018tin belt\u2019 of locations where tin ores are naturally found. Small amounts of tin have also been found in the United States, mainly in Alaska and California.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tin in Everyday Life<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tin (Sn) is one of the most versatile chemical elements that can be used in numerous instances of everyday life:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n