Tin is a substance denoted by the symbol Sn and belongs to the group of light metals. At normal (room) temperature, it does not react with either oxygen or water. Over time, it can be coated with a special film that protects the metal from corrosion.
The density of tin is equal at an ambient temperature of 20 ° C to 7.3 grams per centimeter cubic, at a melting point (231.9 ° C) - 6.98 grams per centimeter cubic.
Tin exhibits the following oxidation states: +2, +4. The most common degree is +4, but tin with a degree of +2 is a strong reducing agent.
As mentioned above, tin is resistant to oxygen and water at room temperature, but it can still be oxidized at temperatures above 150 ° C.
Heated tin reacts with most non-metals, can react with sulfuric acid, but only if it is concentrated.
During the reaction between tin and concentrated nitric acid, it exhibits non-metal behavior, resulting in the formation of tin acid.
It can react with alkalis diluted in water; when heated, tin hydroxide decomposes into oxide and water.
Unlike some other chemical elements, tin is obtained not as a result of reactions, but as a result of melting and refining of tin ore.
Tin ore is very important to humans, albeit a relatively rare mineral. In Russia, the main deposit of this ore is located in Eastern Siberia; you can also find tin in Yakutia.
The most common tin ore is in the form of tin stone, also called cassiterite. Presumably, the first cassiterites were found back in the days of Homer, and they were found in Greece - because the word cassiterite itself is of Greek origin.
Most likely, the tin stone was restored to tin quite by accident, and people liked the beautiful metal very much. But it is quite obvious that it was very rare and expensive - among the preserved antiquities of Greece and Rome, objects from tin are found, but extremely rarely.
Currently, tin is not worth a lot of money, but even now, products from it are quite rare.
There are two types of tin stone deposits: primary and secondary. In the first, tin ore is included in granite and other rocks, and in the second, it is small grains mixed with clay.
To obtain pure metal, tin ore is melted in a special furnace for three days, after which the metal is drained. Interestingly, if slags first fall into the drain hole, then there will be little tin, and if tin flows immediately, leaving slags behind, then its quantity will be quite large.
Pure tin - a beautiful, silver-white, soft metal - is used in many industries. Crockery, food tin, containers for drinks are made from it. Also, this metal is part of solders and additives, it is used to coat many metal products. Tin coating is done to protect the product from corrosion and improve its appearance.
In addition, tin easily forms various alloys with other metals, which include bronze, so well-known to all. Moreover, tin, whose chemical properties are no doubt surprising, can form an alloy with carbon, in other words, an organometallic compound.
The role of organometallic (otherwise - organotin) compounds is very large: they are used in the manufacture of stabilizers for polyvinyl chloride, agricultural chemicals, paints for wood.
In addition, some tin alloys are used to reduce the flammability and toxicity of the smoke from many plastic and synthetic products generated during combustion.