Compare Germanium vs Tin: Periodic Table Element Comparison Table and Properties
Compare the elements Germanium and Tin on the basis of their properties, attributes and periodic table facts. Compare elements - Germanium and Tin comparison table side by side across over 90 properties. All the elements of similar categories show a lot of similarities and differences in their chemical, atomic, physical properties and uses. These similarities and dissimilarities should be known while we study periodic table elements. You can study the detailed comparison between Germanium vs Tin with most reliable information about their properties, attributes, facts, uses etc. You can compare Ge vs Sn on more than 90 properties like electronegativity, oxidation state, atomic shells, orbital structure, Electronaffinity, physical states, electrical conductivity and many more. This in-depth comparison helps students, educators, researchers, and science enthusiasts understand the differences and similarities between Germanium and Tin.
Germanium and Tin Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison between Germanium (Ge) and Tin (Sn), focusing on their position in the periodic table, physical and chemical properties, stability, and uses.
Facts - Basic Element Details
| Name | Germanium | Tin |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 32 | 50 |
| Atomic Symbol | Ge | Sn |
| Atomic Weight | 72.64 | 118.71 |
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| Color | Gray | Silver |
| Metallic Classification | Metalloid | Post Transition Metal |
| Group in Periodic Table | group 14 | group 14 |
| Group Name | carbon family | carbon family |
| Period in Periodic Table | period 4 | period 5 |
| Block in Periodic Table | p -block | p -block |
| Electronic Configuration | [Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p2 | [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p2 |
| Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell) | 2, 8, 18, 4 | 2, 8, 18, 18, 4 |
| Melting Point | 1211.4 K | 505.08 K |
| Boiling Point | 3093 K | 2875 K |
| CAS Number | CAS7440-56-4 | CAS7440-31-5 |
| Neighborhood Elements | Neighborhood Elements of Germanium | Neighborhood Elements of Tin |
History
| Parameter | Germanium | Tin |
|---|---|---|
| History | The element Germanium was discovered by C. A. Winkler in year 1886 in Germany. Germanium derived its name from Germania, the Latin name for Germany. | The element Tin was discovered by Unknown in year 3500 BCE. Tin derived its name from English word (stannum in Latin). |
| Discovery | C. A. Winkler (1886) | Unknown (3500 BCE) |
| Isolated | () | (2000 BCE) |
Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us
Parts per billion (ppb) by weight / by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %)
| Property | Germanium | Tin |
|---|---|---|
| Abundance in Universe | 200 / 3 | 4 / 0.04 |
| Abundance in Sun | 200 / 3 | 9 / 0.1 |
| Abundance in Meteorites | 21000 / 4900 | 1200 / 170 |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 1400 / 390 | 2200 / 380 |
| Abundance in Oceans | 0.06 / 0.0051 | 0.01 / 0.00052 |
| Abundance in Humans | - / - | 200 / 11 |
Crystal Structure and Atomic Structure
| Property | Germanium | Tin |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Volume | 13.646 cm3/mol | 16.239 cm3/mol |
| Atomic Radius | 125 pm | 145 pm |
| Covalent Radius | 122 pm | 141 pm |
| Van der Waals Radius | 211 pm | 217 pm |
Atomic Spectrum - Spectral Lines | ||
| Emission Spectrum |  |  |
| Absorption Spectrum |  |  |
| Lattice Constant | 565.75, 565.75, 565.75 pm | 583.18, 583.18, 318.19 pm |
| Lattice Angle | π/2, π/2, π/2 | π/2, π/2, π/2 |
| Space Group Name | Fm_ 3m | I41/amd |
| Space Group Number | 225 | 141 |
| Crystal Structure | Face Centered Cubic  | Centered Tetragonal  |
Atomic and Orbital Properties
| Property | Germanium | Tin |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 32 | 50 |
| Number of Electrons (with no charge) | 32 | 50 |
| Number of Protons | 32 | 50 |
| Mass Number | 72.64 | 118.71 |
| Number of Neutrons | 41 | 69 |
| Shell structure (Electrons per energy level) | 2, 8, 18, 4 | 2, 8, 18, 18, 4 |
| Electron Configuration | [Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p2 | [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p2 |
| Valence Electrons | 4s2 4p2 | 5s2 5p2 |
| Oxidation State | -4, 2, 4 | -4, 2, 4 |
| Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) | 3P0 | 3P0 |
| Shell structure |  |  |
Isotopes and Nuclear Properties
Germanium has 4 stable naturally occuring isotopes while Tin has 10 stable naturally occuring isotopes.
| Parameter | Germanium | Tin |
|---|---|---|
| Known Isotopes | 58Ge, 59Ge, 60Ge, 61Ge, 62Ge, 63Ge, 64Ge, 65Ge, 66Ge, 67Ge, 68Ge, 69Ge, 70Ge, 71Ge, 72Ge, 73Ge, 74Ge, 75Ge, 76Ge, 77Ge, 78Ge, 79Ge, 80Ge, 81Ge, 82Ge, 83Ge, 84Ge, 85Ge, 86Ge, 87Ge, 88Ge, 89Ge | 99Sn, 100Sn, 101Sn, 102Sn, 103Sn, 104Sn, 105Sn, 106Sn, 107Sn, 108Sn, 109Sn, 110Sn, 111Sn, 112Sn, 113Sn, 114Sn, 115Sn, 116Sn, 117Sn, 118Sn, 119Sn, 120Sn, 121Sn, 122Sn, 123Sn, 124Sn, 125Sn, 126Sn, 127Sn, 128Sn, 129Sn, 130Sn, 131Sn, 132Sn, 133Sn, 134Sn, 135Sn, 136Sn, 137Sn |
| Stable Isotopes | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 70Ge, 72Ge, 73Ge, 74Ge | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 112Sn, 114Sn, 115Sn, 116Sn, 117Sn, 118Sn, 119Sn, 120Sn, 122Sn, 124Sn |
| Neutron Cross Section | 2.2 | 0.63 |
| Neutron Mass Absorption | 0.0011 | 0.0002 |
Chemical Properties: Ionization Energies and electron affinity
| Property | Germanium | Tin |
|---|---|---|
| Valence or Valency | 4 | 4 |
| Electronegativity | 2.01 Pauling Scale | 1.96 Pauling Scale |
| Oxidation State | -4, 2, 4 | -4, 2, 4 |
| Electron Affinity | 119 kJ/mol | 107.3 kJ/mol |
| Ionization Energies | 1st: 762 kJ/mol 2nd: 1537.5 kJ/mol 3rd: 3302.1 kJ/mol 4th: 4411 kJ/mol 5th: 9020 kJ/mol | 1st: 708.6 kJ/mol 2nd: 1411.8 kJ/mol 3rd: 2943 kJ/mol 4th: 3930.3 kJ/mol 5th: 7456 kJ/mol |
Physical Properties
Germanium (5.323 g/cm³) is less dense than Tin (7.31 g/cm³). This means that a given volume of Tin will be heavier than the same volume of Germanium. Tin is about 37.3 denser than Germanium
| Property | Germanium | Tin |
|---|---|---|
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| Color | Gray | Silver |
| Density | 5.323 g/cm3 | 7.31 g/cm3 |
| Density (when liquid (at melting point)) | 5.6 g/cm3 | 6.99 g/cm3 |
| Molar Volume | 13.646 cm3/mol | 16.239 cm3/mol |
Mechanical and Hardness Properties
| Property | Germanium | Tin |
|---|---|---|
Elastic Properties | ||
| Young Modulus | - | 50 |
| Shear Modulus | - | 18 GPa |
| Bulk Modulus | - | 58 GPa |
| Poisson Ratio | - | 0.36 |
Hardness - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element | ||
| Mohs Hardness | 6 MPa | 1.5 MPa |
| Vickers Hardness | - | - |
| Brinell Hardness | - | 51 MPa |
Thermal and Electrical Conductivity
| Property | Germanium | Tin |
|---|---|---|
Heat and Conduction Properties | ||
| Thermal Conductivity | 60 W/(m K) | 67 W/(m K) |
| Thermal Expansion | 0.000006 /K | 0.000022 /K |
Electrical Properties | ||
| Electrical Conductivity | 2000 S/m | 9100000 S/m |
| Resistivity | 0.0005 m Ω | 1.1e-7 m Ω |
| Superconducting Point | - | 3.72 |
Magnetic and Optical Properties
| Property | Germanium | Tin |
|---|---|---|
Magnetic Properties | ||
| Magnetic Type | Diamagnetic | Diamagnetic |
| Curie Point | - | - |
| Mass Magnetic Susceptibility | -1.5e-9 m3/kg | -3.1e-9 m3/kg |
| Molar Magnetic Susceptibility | -1.09e-10 m3/mol | -3.68e-10 m3/mol |
| Volume Magnetic Susceptibility | -0.00000798 | -0.0000227 |
Optical Properties | ||
| Refractive Index | - | - |
Acoustic Properties | ||
| Speed of Sound | 5400 m/s | 2500 m/s |
Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics
| Property | Germanium | Tin |
|---|---|---|
| Melting Point | 1211.4 K | 505.08 K |
| Boiling Point | 3093 K | 2875 K |
| Critical Temperature | - | - |
| Superconducting Point | - | 3.72 |
Enthalpies | ||
| Heat of Fusion | 31.8 kJ/mol | 7 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Vaporization | 334 kJ/mol | 290 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Combustion | -536 J/(kg K) | - |
Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines
| Parameter | Germanium | Tin |
|---|---|---|
| CAS Number | CAS7440-56-4 | CAS7440-31-5 |
| RTECS Number | RTECSLY5200000 | {N/A, RTECSXP7320000} |
| DOT Hazard Class | 4.1 | - |
| DOT Numbers | 3089 | - |
| EU Number | - | - |
| NFPA Fire Rating | 0 | 3 |
| NFPA Health Rating | 1 | 1 |
| NFPA Reactivity Rating | 0 | 3 |
| NFPA Hazards | - | - |
| AutoIgnition Point | - | - |
| Flashpoint | - | - |
Compare Germanium and Tin With Other Elements
Compare Germanium and Tin with other elements of the periodic table. Explore howGermanium and Tin stack up against other elements of the periodic table. Use our interactive comparison tool to analyze 90+ properties across different metals, non-metals, metalloids, and noble gases. Understanding these differences is crucial for applications in engineering, chemistry, electronics, biology, and material science.