Ordinary tin is a silvery-white metal, is malleable, somewhat ductile, and has a highly crystalline structure. Due to the breaking of these crystals, a "tin cry" is heard when a bar is bent. The element has two allotropic forms. On warming, grey, or α-tin, with a cubic structure, changes at 13.2°C into white, or β-tin, the ordinary form of the metal. White tin has a tetragonal structure. When tin is cooled below 13.2°C, it changes slowly from white to grey. This change is affected by impurities such as aluminium and zinc, and can be prevented by small additions of antimony or bismuth. The conversion was first noted as growths on organ pipes in European cathedrals, where it was thought to be “the Devil’s work”. It was also speculated that micro-organisms caused this conversion, thus called "tin plague" or "tin disease". Webelements
Welcome to the Periodic Table of the Elements power trail; beginning at Mt Henry Bridge, continuing south along the cycle path. Please stay safe and enjoy the power trail.
The periodic table of elements are those approved by the International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry.