50
Room of the Elements · No. 50
Tin (Sn): what kind of element is it?
日本語
In short
Tin is element number 50, a metal with the symbol Sn. It has been known since ancient times, and there is a little tin in the ten-yen coin.
Atomic number 50118.7
SnTinスズ (suzu)- Symbol
- Sn
- Atomic weight
- 118.7
- Place in the table
- Period 5 · Group 14
Atomic weight from the Chemical Society of Japan, “Table of Standard Atomic Weights with Four Significant Figures (2026)”.
Tin in the ten-yen coin
The ten-yen coin is bronze: out of every 1,000 parts, 950 are copper, 30–40 zinc and 10–20 tin.
The symbol Sn
The symbol Sn comes from the Latin stannum, which first meant an alloy of silver and lead and later came to mean tin.
Tin is in the fifth row of Group 14, with germanium above and lead below.
Think about it
- Q1Why do you think a little tin and zinc are mixed into the copper of a ten-yen coin?
- Q2Do you know other words whose meaning changed over time?
- Q3Tin and lead share a column. Do you think they are alike?
There is no single right answer. Talking it over with someone at home is a good way to learn.
Did you know? — Metals known since ancient times include gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, lead and mercury.