Lead in petrol could also have a similar effect, which is why it is now not used in fuels. But lead is also waterproof, easy to shape and does not corrode. The chemical symbol for lead is Pb. This is derived from plumbum , the Latin word for lead. The chemical symbol for tin is Sn, which comes from the Latin word stannum .
Tin is found associated with copper and, like zinc, it has a low melting point.
Tin was probably first used by ancient civilisations accidentally combined with copper. In this way they discovered bronze, the metal that gave its name to the period of ancient history called the Bronze Age. Tin metal quickly develops an invisible protective coating when exposed to air. For this reason it has been used as a plating for protecting metals such as iron. But, because tin is less reactive than iron, tin is not an ideal material for protecting steel, and tin plate has been replaced by aluminium in many canning applications.