Post-transition metal

Atomic Mass of Tin (Sn)

Quick answer

The relative atomic mass of Tin is 118.71 u — the weighted average of its naturally occurring isotopes, on the carbon-12 scale.

Teachers call it "one fact, fully handled" — exactly what this page does for Tin. The answer sits at the top in bold; scroll for the working, the shell-by-shell breakdown and the two questions students ask most. Need the whole picture instead — history, characteristics, uses, exam questions? The full Tin page is one click away.

Tin by the numbers

One Tin atom carries 50 protons in its nucleus; add the neutrons of its commonest isotope (about 69) and you get its mass number, roughly 119.

QuantityValue
Atomic number (Z)50
Relative atomic mass118.71 u
Protons50
Neutrons (commonest isotope)69
Electrons50

Atomic mass vs mass number

Mass number (A) counts particles — protons + neutrons in one specific atom, always a whole number. Relative atomic mass is the experimentally measured average over all natural isotopes, so it comes out fractional (118.71). Exams love this one-mark distinction.

Students also ask

Is the atomic mass of Tin a whole number?

No. 118.71 u is the average of Tin's natural isotopes, which is why it lands between whole numbers. The mass number of a single isotope, though, is always whole.

How many neutrons does Tin have?

Neutrons = mass number − atomic number. For Tin's commonest isotope that is about 119 − 50 = 69, though the exact count differs between isotopes.