Question

Why tin has an exceptionally low melting point?

Answer 1

Melting point:

• The melting point of a natural substance is the temperature at which its solid and liquid state can coexist in equilibrium.
• When a solid is heated, its temperature rises till it reaches the melting point.

Tin has an exceptionally low melting point:

• Tin's low melting point is due to its 12-coordinated shape instead of a pure one.

• Hence, it is difficult for tin to produce alloys without vaporization loss.