Tin Element Information, Facts, Properties, Trends, Uses, Comparison with other elements
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn (for Latin:stannum) and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows a chemical similarity to both neighboring group-14 elements, germanium and lead, and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4.
It belongs to group 14 of the periodic table having trivial name tetrels, crystallogens. You can also download Printable Periodic Table of Elements Flashcards for Tin in a PDF format.
Tin Facts
Read key information and facts about element Tin
| Name | Tin |
| Atomic Number | 50 |
| Atomic Symbol | Sn |
| Atomic Weight | 118.71 |
| Phase | Solid |
| Color | Silver |
| Appearance | silvery-white (beta, β) or gray (alpha, α) |
| Classification | Post Transition Metal |
| Natural Occurance | Primordial |
| Group in Periodic Table | 14 |
| Group Name | carbon family |
| Period in Periodic Table | period 5 |
| Block in Periodic Table | p-block |
| Electronic Configuration | [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p2 |
| Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell) | 2, 8, 18, 18, 4 |
| Melting Point | 505.08 K |
| Boiling Point | 2875 K |
| CAS Number | CAS7440-31-5 |
How to Locate Tin on Periodic Table
Periodic table is arranged by atomic number, number of protons in the nucleus which is same as number of electrons. The atomic number increases from left to right. Periodic table starts at top left ( Atomic number 1) and ends at bottom right (atomic number 118). Therefore you can directly look for atomic number 50 to find Tin on periodic table.
Another way to read periodic table and locate an element is by using group number (column) and period number (row). To locate Tin on periodic table look for cross section of group 14 and period 5 in the modern periodic table.
Tin History
The element Tin was discovered by Unknown in year 3500 BCE . Tin was first isolated by in 2000 BCE. Tin derived its name from English word (stannum in Latin).
| Discovered By | Unknown |
| Discovery Date | 3500 BCE |
| First Isolation | |
| Isolated by |
First smelted in combination with copper around 3500 BCE to produce bronze. The oldest artifacts date from around 2000 BCE.
Tin Uses
Tin has the capability to be polished to a high degree and is not corrodible. It is mainly used to coat other metals or as an alloy in solder and pewter. Niobium-tin magnets are known for their superconducting abilities
Tin Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us
The table below shows the abundance of Tin in Universe, Sun, Meteorites, Earth's Crust, Oceans and Human Body.
| ppb by weight (1ppb =10^-7 %) | ppb by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %) | |
|---|---|---|
| Abundance in Universe | 4 | 0.04 |
| Abundance in Sun | 9 | 0.1 |
| Abundance in Meteorites | 1200 | 170 |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 2200 | 380 |
| Abundance in Oceans | 0.01 | 0.00052 |
| Abundance in Humans | 200 | 11 |
Crystal Structure of Tin
The solid state structure of Tin is Centered Tetragonal.
The Crystal structure can be described in terms of its unit Cell. The unit Cells repeats itself in three dimensional space to form the structure.
Unit Cell Parameters
The unit cell is represented in terms of its lattice parameters, which are the lengths of the cell edges Lattice Constants (a, b and c)
| a | b | c |
|---|---|---|
| 583.18 pm | 583.18 pm | 318.19 pm |
and the angles between them Lattice Angles (alpha, beta and gamma).
| alpha | beta | gamma |
|---|---|---|
| π/2 | π/2 | π/2 |
The positions of the atoms inside the unit cell are described by the set of atomic positions ( xi, yi, zi) measured from a reference lattice point.
The symmetry properties of the crystal are described by the concept of space groups. All possible symmetric arrangements of particles in three-dimensional space are described by the 230 space groups (219 distinct types, or 230 if chiral copies are considered distinct.
| Space Group Name | I41/amd |
| Space Group Number | 141 |
| Crystal Structure | Centered Tetragonal |
| Number of atoms per unit cell |
The number of atoms per unit cell in a simple cubic, face-centered cubic and body-centred cubic are 1,4,2 respectively.
Tin Atomic and Orbital Properties
Tin atoms have 50 electrons and the electronic shell structure is [2, 8, 18, 18, 4] with Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) 3P0.
| Atomic Number | 50 |
| Number of Electrons (with no charge) | 50 |
| Number of Protons | 50 |
| Mass Number | 119 |
| Number of Neutrons | 69 |
| Shell structure (Electrons per energy level) | 2, 8, 18, 18, 4 |
| Electron Configuration | [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p2 |
| Valence Electrons | 5s2 5p2 |
| Valence (Valency) | 4 |
| Main Oxidation States | -4, 2, 4 |
| Oxidation States | -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) | 3P0 |
Bohr Atomic Model of Tin - Electrons per energy level
| n | s | p | d | f |
|---|
Ground State Electronic Configuration of Tin - neutral Tin atom
Abbreviated electronic configuration of Tin
The ground state abbreviated electronic configuration of Neutral Tin atom is [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p2. The portion of Tin configuration that is equivalent to the noble gas of the preceding period, is abbreviated as [Kr]. For atoms with many electrons, this notation can become lengthy and so an abbreviated notation is used. This is important as it is the Valence electrons 5s2 5p2, electrons in the outermost shell that determine the chemical properties of the element.
Unabbreviated electronic configuration of neutral Tin
Complete ground state electronic configuration for the Tin atom, Unabbreviated electronic configuration
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p2
Electrons are filled in atomic orbitals as per the order determined by the Aufbau principle, Pauli Exclusion Principle and Hund’s Rule.
As per the Aufbau principle the electrons will occupy the orbitals having lower energies before occupying higher energy orbitals. According to this principle, electrons are filled in the following order: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d, 7p…
The Pauli exclusion principle states that a maximum of two electrons, each having opposite spins, can fit in an orbital.
Hund's rule states that every orbital in a given subshell is singly occupied by electrons before a second electron is filled in an orbital.
Atomic Structure of Tin
Tin atomic radius is 145 pm, while it's covalent radius is 141 pm.
| Atomic Radius Calculated | 145 pm(1.45 Å) |
| Atomic Radius Empirical | 145 pm (1.45 Å) |
| Atomic Volume | 16.239 cm3/mol |
| Covalent Radius | 141 pm (1.41 Å) |
| Van der Waals Radius | 217 pm |
| Neutron Cross Section | 0.63 |
| Neutron Mass Absorption | 0.0002 |
Spectral Lines of Tin - Atomic Spectrum of Tin
A spectral line is a dark or bright line in an otherwise uniform and continuous spectrum, resulting from an excess or deficiency of photons in a narrow frequency range, compared with the nearby frequencies. Spectral lines are often used to identify atoms and molecules.
Spectral lines are the result of interaction between a quantum system and a single photon. A spectral line may be observed either as an emission line or an absorption line.
Spectral lines are highly atom-specific, and can be used to identify the chemical composition of any medium. Several elements, including helium, thallium, and caesium, were discovered by spectroscopic means. They are widely used to determine the physical conditions of stars and other celestial bodies that cannot be analyzed by other means.
Emission spectrum of Tin
Absorption spectrum of Tin
Tin Chemical Properties: Tin Ionization Energies and electron affinity
The electron affinity of Tin is 107.3 kJ/mol.
| Valence | 4 |
| Electronegativity | 1.96 |
| ElectronAffinity | 107.3 kJ/mol |
Ionization Energy of Tin
Ionization energy is the amount of energy required to remove an electron from an atom or molecule.in chemistry, this energy is expresed in kilocalories per mole (kcal/mol) or kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol).
Refer to table below for Ionization energies of Tin
| Ionization energy number | Enthalpy - kJ/mol |
|---|---|
| 1st | 708.6 |
| 2nd | 1411.8 |
| 3rd | 2943 |
| 4th | 3930.3 |
| 5th | 7456 |
Tin Physical Properties
Refer to below table for Tin Physical Properties
| Density | 7.31 g/cm3(when liquid at m.p density is $6.99 g/cm3) |
| Molar Volume | 16.239 cm3/mol |
Elastic Properties
| Young Modulus | 50 |
| Shear Modulus | 18 GPa |
| Bulk Modulus | 58 GPa |
| Poisson Ratio | 0.36 |
Hardness of Tin - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element
| Mohs Hardness | 1.5 MPa |
| Vickers Hardness | - |
| Brinell Hardness | 51 MPa |
Tin Electrical Properties
Electrical resistivity measures element's electrical resistance or how strongly it resists electric current.The SI unit of electrical resistivity is the ohm-metre (Ω⋅m). While Electrical conductivity is the reciprocal of electrical resistivity. It represents a element's ability to conduct electric current. The SI unit of electrical conductivity is siemens per metre (S/m).
Tin is a conductor of electricity. Refer to table below for the Electrical properties of Tin
| Electrical conductors | Conductor |
| Electrical Conductivity | 9100000 S/m |
| Resistivity | 1.1e-7 m Ω |
| Superconducting Point | 3.72 |
Tin Heat and Conduction Properties
| Thermal Conductivity | 67 W/(m K) |
| Thermal Expansion | 0.000022 /K |
Tin Magnetic Properties
| Magnetic Type | Diamagnetic |
| Curie Point | - |
| Mass Magnetic Susceptibility | -3.1e-9 m3/kg |
| Molar Magnetic Susceptibility | -3.68e-10 m3/mol |
| Volume Magnetic Susceptibility | -0.0000227 |
Optical Properties of Tin
| Refractive Index | - |
Acoustic Properties of Tin
| Speed of Sound | 2500 m/s |
Tin Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics
Refer to table below for Thermal properties of Tin
| Melting Point | 505.08 K(231.93 °C, 449.474 °F) |
| Boiling Point | 2875 K(2601.85 °C, 4715.330 °F) |
| Critical Temperature | - |
| Superconducting Point | 3.72 |
Enthalpies of Tin
| Heat of Fusion | 7 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Vaporization | 290 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Combustion | - |
Tin Isotopes - Nuclear Properties of Tin
Tin has 39 isotopes, with between 99 and 137 nucleons. Tin has 10 stable naturally occuring isotopes.
Isotopes of Tin - Naturally occurring stable Isotopes: 112Sn, 114Sn, 115Sn, 116Sn, 117Sn, 118Sn, 119Sn, 120Sn, 122Sn, 124Sn.
| Isotope | Z | N | Isotope Mass | % Abundance | T half | Decay Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99Sn | 50 | 49 | 99 | Synthetic | ||
| 100Sn | 50 | 50 | 100 | Synthetic | ||
| 101Sn | 50 | 51 | 101 | Synthetic | ||
| 102Sn | 50 | 52 | 102 | Synthetic | ||
| 103Sn | 50 | 53 | 103 | Synthetic | ||
| 104Sn | 50 | 54 | 104 | Synthetic | ||
| 105Sn | 50 | 55 | 105 | Synthetic | ||
| 106Sn | 50 | 56 | 106 | Synthetic | ||
| 107Sn | 50 | 57 | 107 | Synthetic | ||
| 108Sn | 50 | 58 | 108 | Synthetic | ||
| 109Sn | 50 | 59 | 109 | Synthetic | ||
| 110Sn | 50 | 60 | 110 | Synthetic | ||
| 111Sn | 50 | 61 | 111 | Synthetic | ||
| 112Sn | 50 | 62 | 112 | 0.97% | Stable | N/A |
| 113Sn | 50 | 63 | 113 | Synthetic | ||
| 114Sn | 50 | 64 | 114 | 0.66% | Stable | N/A |
| 115Sn | 50 | 65 | 115 | 0.34% | Stable | N/A |
| 116Sn | 50 | 66 | 116 | 14.54% | Stable | N/A |
| 117Sn | 50 | 67 | 117 | 7.68% | Stable | N/A |
| 118Sn | 50 | 68 | 118 | 24.22% | Stable | N/A |
| 119Sn | 50 | 69 | 119 | 8.59% | Stable | |
| 120Sn | 50 | 70 | 120 | 32.58% | Stable | N/A |
| 121Sn | 50 | 71 | 121 | Synthetic | ||
| 122Sn | 50 | 72 | 122 | 4.63% | Stable | N/A |
| 123Sn | 50 | 73 | 123 | Synthetic | ||
| 124Sn | 50 | 74 | 124 | 5.79% | Stable | N/A |
| 125Sn | 50 | 75 | 125 | Synthetic | ||
| 126Sn | 50 | 76 | 126 | Synthetic | ||
| 127Sn | 50 | 77 | 127 | Synthetic | ||
| 128Sn | 50 | 78 | 128 | Synthetic | ||
| 129Sn | 50 | 79 | 129 | Synthetic | ||
| 130Sn | 50 | 80 | 130 | Synthetic | ||
| 131Sn | 50 | 81 | 131 | Synthetic | ||
| 132Sn | 50 | 82 | 132 | Synthetic | ||
| 133Sn | 50 | 83 | 133 | Synthetic | ||
| 134Sn | 50 | 84 | 134 | Synthetic | ||
| 135Sn | 50 | 85 | 135 | Synthetic | ||
| 136Sn | 50 | 86 | 136 | Synthetic | ||
| 137Sn | 50 | 87 | 137 | Synthetic |
Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines
The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) identifies hazard class of all dangerous elements/goods/commodities either by its class (or division) number or name. The DOT has divided these materials into nine different categories, known as Hazard Classes.
NFPA 704 is a Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response. NFPA is a standard maintained by the US based National Fire Protection Association.
The health (blue), flammability (red), and reactivity (yellow) rating all use a numbering scale ranging from 0 to 4. A value of zero means that the element poses no hazard; a rating of four indicates extreme danger.
| NFPA Fire Rating | 3 | Flash Points below 37.8°C (100°F) |
| NFPA Health Rating | 1 | Flash Points Above 93.3°C (200°F) |
| NFPA Reactivity Rating | 3 | Flash Points below 37.8°C (100°F) |
| NFPA Hazards |
| Autoignition Point | - |
| Flashpoint | - |
Database Search
List of unique identifiers to search the element in various chemical registry databases
| Database | Identifier number |
|---|---|
| CAS Number - Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) | CAS7440-31-5 |
| RTECS Number | {N/A, RTECSXP7320000} |
| CID Number | {CID5352426, CID5352426} |
| Gmelin Number | - |
| NSC Number | - |
Compare Tin with other elements
Compare Tin with Group 14, Period 5 and Post Transition Metal elements of the periodic table.
Compare Tin with all Group 14 elements
Compare Tin with all Period 5 elements
Compare Tin with all Post Transition Metal elements
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about Tin