Daily Curiosity

Chemical Elements · Question

What element has the symbol 'Sn'?

Answer

Tin

The story behind the answer

Tin is correct because the symbol Sn comes from the Latin word stannum, meaning tin. The other options have different origins: Silver is Ag (argentum), Sodium is Na (natrium), and Sulfur is S.

Tin is a soft, corrosion-resistant metal used to make bronze (with copper) and in solder and protective coatings. A quirky fact: when bent in cold temperatures, tin can produce a “tin cry,” a crackling sound from crystal structure changes. Memory tip: Sn = staNnum, and both tiN and sN contain the letter “n.” Or think “tin soldiers” snapping—Sn—for the tin cry.

More to discover