Allotropy: Why Winter Spells Trouble for the Tin Man

Tin is a commonplace metal that's used industrially in a thousand different ways. From the solder that holds your computer's motherboard together to the PVC plumbing under your sink, tin compounds are everywhere. In spite of its versatility, tin possesses an interesting physical property which is responsible for its tendency to wear down over time outdoors. This phenomenon, known as "tin pest", is certainly not due a biological organism, but is widely mistaken for an oxidation reaction. Instead,...