Question

Food cans are coated with tin and not with zinc because

• A. (a) Zinc is costlier than tin.
• B. (b) Zinc has a higher melting point than tin.
• C. (c) Zinc is more reactive than tin.
• D. (d) Zinc is less reactive than tin.

Answer 1

The correct option is C

(c) Zinc is more reactive than tin.

Explanation for correct answer:

Option (C): Zinc is more reactive than Tin.

• Electrochemical series: It is a sequential arrangement of metals or their ions defined by their electrode potentials under certain conditions; the order reveals the tendency of one metal to decrease the ions of any other metal in the series below it.
• Application of electrochemical series: Because Zinc (Zn) is put above tin in the electrochemical series, it now has higher reactivity than Tin (Sn). Tin only reacts with extremely strong acids. Zinc, on the other hand, reacts with simple acids found in food, resulting in food poisoning.

Explanation for incorrect answers:

Option (A): Zinc is costlier than tin.

• It doesn't make any difference whether Zinc is more expensive than Tin or not.
• The most significant consideration in choosing metal for storage is that food quality should not be compromised when placed in the container.
• Because we reuse the same container numerous times, so, the cost of metal is less important.

Option (B): Zinc has a higher melting point than Tin.

• Whether Zinc has a higher melting point than Tin, or not, is of less significance.
• This is because the food that you keep in the container has a much lower temperature than the melting point of the container.

Option (D): Zinc is less reactive than tin.

This option is incorrect because according to the electrochemical series, Zinc is more reactive than Tin.

Thus, the correct option is (C); food cans are coated with tin and not with zinc because tin doesn't interact with the food contained in it.