Tin

Tin, commonly known as Stannum in Latin, has an atomic number of 50 and belongs to the periodic table’s group 14.

Tin has two main oxidation states, +2 and the somewhat more stable +4, and shares chemical similarities with both of its group 14 neighbours, germanium and lead.

Tin’s Applications (Sn element)

Because of its strong corrosion resistance, it is utilised in tin plating, coating, and polishing.

Because of its strong magnetic strengths and lower melting points, it is employed in steel soldering.

It’s also used to make other metal alloys like bronze and copper.

It’s employed in glass, ceramics, and sensors as a reducing and colouring agent.

It’s utilised in the maritime sector as an antifouling chemical to keep boats and ships free of barnacles.

It is used in the dental industry in the form of stannous chloride in various products (SnCl2).

It can also be found in battery electrodes, such as those found in Li-ion batteries.

It is commonly used in the production of steel food containers.

Tin’s Characteristics

• It is a soft, malleable metal with a bluish-white colour that has an atomic number of 50.
• Tin is reported to make up about two parts per million of the earth’s crust.
• This element is found in igneous rocks of the Earth’s crust in a concentration of about 0.001%, making it scarce rather than rare; it is abundantly found alongside other elements such as cobalt, copper, nickel, cerium, and lead.
• At room temperature, oxygen and water have no effect on the tin. It’s also corrosion-resistant. It is used as a coating for other metals because of this.
• When reacting with water and oxygen at higher temperatures, the metal forms its oxide.

Tin comes in two different forms (or allotropes): white and grey.

At temperatures above 13.2 °C, the grey metal turns white, and at temperatures above 100 °C, it turns white very quickly. There are around ten naturally occurring isotopes of this metal, each with a different mass number.

Tin’s Allotropes (Sn element)

Grey tin (cubic), white tin (tetragonal), and white tin (hexagonal) are the three allotropes of tin (rhombic).

When white tin is converted to grey tin, the volume increases.

White tin is a common type of tin that is silver-white in colour and tougher than lead. White tin is a ductile and malleable metal.

It can be moulded into thin foils as well.

“Tin Cry” refers to the cracking sound made when bending tin rods.

The change of white tin to grey tin is fairly quick at -50oC.

The grey tin has a reduced density, is brittle, and powders easily.

Tin disease or Tin plague is the crumbling of grey tin to powder form in severely cold temperatures.

Tin Sn element in organic form is the most hazardous to one’s health. In humans, it can produce serious side effects such as eye and skin irritations, headaches, nausea, dizziness, breathlessness, extreme perspiration, and urinary difficulties.

The metal is not totally biodegradable, which is the biggest disadvantage. As a result, it may have an environmental impact.

Tin in Relation to Other 14th Group Elements

The group fourteen elements are carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, and lead. Water does not react with any of these elements. When carbon is heated, it produces carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas. 

Tin chloride is a tin chemical. Tin chloride creates tin tetrachloride when it interacts with potassium permanganate (KMnO4). 

Tin dichloride is oxidised from a +2 oxidation state to a +4 oxidation state in this reaction. Tin dichloride generates tin tetrachloride and Cr+3 cation when it interacts with potassium dichromate (green colour). 

When tin dichloride interacts with mercuric chloride, mercurous chloride generates a white precipitate. 

When mercurous chloride combines with tin dichloride again, a grey black mercury precipitate is formed. Tin dichloride creates tin tetrachloride and aurous precipitate when it combines with auric chloride.

Tin’s Negative Effects

When breathed, tin causes breathing issues.

Tin demonstrates an irritating characteristic. As a result, it irritates the eyes and skin when it comes into touch with them. 

Tin causes vomiting, nausea, coughing, and shortness of breath. Tin can be painful. Tremors and fatigue.

Conclusion

Tin dichloride is oxidised from a +2 oxidation state to a +4 oxidation state in this reaction. Tin dichloride generates tin tetrachloride and Cr+3 cation when it interacts with potassium dichromate (green colour). 

Tin, commonly known as Stannum in Latin, has an atomic number of 50 and belongs to the periodic table’s group 14.

Tin has two main oxidation states, +2 and the somewhat more stable +4, and shares chemical similarities with both of its group 14 neighbours, germanium and lead.