A tin can, tin steel can, or a can, is a sealed container

Packaging and labelling

Packaging is the science, art, and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages. Packaging can be described as a coordinated system of preparing goods for transport,...

 for the distribution or storage of goods, composed of thin metal

Metal

A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...

. Many cans require opening by cutting the "end" open; others have removable covers. Cans hold diverse contents: foods, beverages, oil, chemicals, etc.

"Tin" cans are made of tinplate (tin-coated steel). In some locations, cans made of aluminum

Aluminum can

An aluminum can, or can, is a container for packaging made primarily of aluminum .They are commonly used for foods and beverages but also for products such as oil, chemicals, and other liquids. The common 12-ounce size can weighs 15 grams when empty.-Usage:Use of aluminum in cans began in 1957...

 are called "tin cans".
The tin can was patented in 1810 by the English inventor Peter Durand

Peter Durand

Peter Durand was a British merchant who is widely credited with receiving the first patent for the idea of preserving food using tin cans. The patent was granted on August 25, 1810 by King George III of England....

, based on experimental work by the Frenchman Nicolas Appert

Nicolas Appert

Nicolas Appert , was the French inventor of airtight food preservation. Appert, known as the "father of canning", was a confectioner.-Biography:...

.