What is Tin? | Types, Definition, Structure, Function & Facts
What is Tin?
Tin is the fourth element in the fourteenth column of the periodic table. It is classified as a post-transition metal. The tin atom has 50 electrons and 50 protons with 4 valence electrons in the outermost shell.
Characteristics and Properties
Under normal conditions, tin is a soft, silver-gray metal. It is very ductile (meaning it can be forged into a thin sheet) and can be polished to a shiny finish.
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Tin can form two different isotopes under normal pressure. This is white tin and gray tin. White tin is the metallic form of tin with which we are most familiar. Gray Pewter is non-metallic and is a gray powdery material. There are very few uses for gray tin.
Tin is resistant to water corrosion. This allows it to be used as a plating material to protect other metals.
Highlights of Tin:
| Symbol | Sn |
| Atomic Number | 50 |
| Atomic Weight | 118.71 |
| Classification | Post-transition Metal |
| Phase at Room Temperature | Solid |
| Density | 7.365 grams per cm cubed |
| Melting Point | 231°C, 449°F |
| Boiling Point | 2602°C, 4716°F |
| Discovered by | Known about since ancient times |
Where is it found on Earth?
Tin is found in the earth’s crust mainly in the ore cassiterite. It is not usually found in the free form. It is the 50th most abundant element in the earth’s crust.
Most tin is mined in China, Malaysia, Peru and Indonesia. It is estimated that the tin mined on Earth will be gone in 20 to 40 years.
How is Tin used Today?
Most tin today is used for soldering. Solder is a mixture of tin and lead used to connect pipes and create electronic circuits.
Tin is also used as a coating to protect other metals such as lead, zinc and steel from corrosion. Tin cans are actually steel cans coated with tin.
Other uses of tin include metal alloys such as copper and tin, the manufacture of glass by the Pilkington process, toothpaste, and the manufacture of textiles.
How was it discovered?
Tin has been known since ancient times. Tin was first used extensively in the Bronze Age, when tin was combined with copper to create copper alloys. Copper is harder than pure copper and easier to work and cast.
Where did Tin get its name?
Tin takes its name from the Anglo-Saxon language. The symbol “Sn” comes from the Latin word for tin, “stannum”.
Isotopes
Tin has ten stable isotopes. It is the most stable isotope of all the elements. The most abundant isotope is tin-120.
Interesting Facts about Tin
When a tin rod is bent, it makes a hissing sound known as a “tin chirp”. It is due to the breaking of the crystal structure of the atom.
Tin is a tin alloy containing at least 85% tin. Other elements of tin commonly include copper, antimony, and bismuth.
White tin turns gray tin when the temperature drops below 13.2 degrees Celsius. This can be avoided by adding small impurities to white tin.
Copper is generally composed of 88% copper and 12% tin.