Tin (Sn)
Mixing tin with copper makes bronze — the alloy that gave the Bronze Age its name.
Tin properties
- Atomic mass
- 118.71 u
- Category
- Post-transition metal
- Group
- 14
- Period
- 5
- Block
- p-block
- State at room temp.
- Solid
- Electronegativity
- 1.96
- Melting point
- 505.08 K (231.9 °C)
- Boiling point
- 2,875 K (2,601.8 °C)
- Density
- 7.287 g/cm³
- Common charges
- +2, +4
- Oxidation states
- +4, +2
- Atomic radius
- 217 pm
- Ionization energy
- 7.344 eV
- Electron affinity
- 1.2 eV
- Radioactive
- No, has stable isotopes
- Discovered
- Ancient
Tin electron configuration
- Electron configuration
- [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p2
- Full electron configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p2
- Electron shells
- 2 · 8 · 18 · 18 · 4
The electron configuration of Tin (Sn) is [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p2. Its 50 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 18, 4.
Protons, neutrons and electrons in Tin
A neutral Tin atom has 50 protons and 50 electrons. Most Tin atoms have about 69 neutrons: the atomic mass rounded to 119, minus the atomic number 50.
Neutrons are approximate: atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons (isotopes). Atomic number and mass
How many valence electrons does Tin have?
4
Tin has 4 valence electrons in its outermost shell, shell 5. These are the electrons involved in chemical bonding.
Tin orbital diagram
Each box is an orbital that holds up to two electrons with opposite spins (↑↓). The inner shells are the same as the noble gas in brackets. How to write electron configurations
Molar mass of Tin
118.71 g/mol
One mole of Tin atoms (6.022 × 10²³ atoms) has a mass of 118.71 grams. Use this value to convert between grams and moles.
Compounds containing Tin
Tin facts
- Mixing tin with copper makes bronze — the alloy that gave the Bronze Age its name.
- Bend a bar of tin and it makes a faint crackling 'tin cry' as its crystals shift.
- In the cold, white tin can slowly crumble into powdery gray tin, an effect called 'tin pest'.
- Tin (Sn) has atomic number 50 and is a solid at room temperature. It has been known since ancient times.
Position in the periodic table
Tin is element 50, in period 5 and group 14 of the periodic table, in the p-block.
Uses of Tin
Tin's biggest use is in solder, the low-melting alloy that joins components on circuit boards in almost all electronics. Thin tin coatings protect the steel in food and drink cans from rusting, a material called tinplate. Tin is also used in pewter, in chemicals that stabilize PVC plastic, and as the bath of molten metal on which flat window glass is made.
Who discovered Tin?
Tin has been known since ancient times and was smelted from its main ore, cassiterite, thousands of years ago. Its symbol, Sn, comes from the Latin word stannum.
Where does the name come from?
Tin comes from the Old English tin, a word found in many Germanic languages whose earlier origin is unknown. Its symbol, Sn, comes from stannum, the Latin word for tin.
Same group
Compare Tin
FAQ
What is the electron configuration of Tin?
The electron configuration of Tin (Sn) is [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p2. Its 50 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 18, 4.
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does Tin have?
A neutral Tin atom has 50 protons and 50 electrons. Most Tin atoms have about 69 neutrons: the atomic mass rounded to 119, minus the atomic number 50.
How many valence electrons does Tin have?
Tin has 4 valence electrons in its outermost shell, shell 5. These are the electrons involved in chemical bonding.
What is the molar mass of Tin?
The molar mass of Tin is 118.71 g/mol. This is the same number as its atomic mass, 118.71 u.
Is Tin a metal?
Yes. Tin is a post-transition metal, so it is a metal.
Is Tin radioactive?
Ordinary Tin is not radioactive: it has at least one stable isotope. Like every element, it also has radioactive isotopes, most of them made in laboratories.
Where is Tin on the periodic table?
Tin is element 50, in period 5 and group 14 of the periodic table, in the p-block.