Further information Description Ordinary tin is a silvery-white metal, is malleable, somewhat ductile, and has a highly crystalline structure. The element has two allotropic forms.
White tin has a tetragonal structure.
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 devils work. Tin resists distilled, sea, and soft tap water, but is attacked by strong acids, alkalis, and acid salts. Oxygen in solution accelerates the attack. When heated in air, tin forms SnO 2 .