Of all the precious metals silver has both the highest thermal and electrical conductivity. Below I’ve described some of the properties of this precious metal followed later by its most popular uses.
Description
Silver is usually described as a soft, white and lustrous metallic chemical element. It occurs naturally in its pure form; as an alloy with other metallic elements such as gold, in chlorargyrite and other minerals. As one of the three coinage metals along with copper and gold, silver is very malleable. Specific properties are listed here:
General properties
• Chemical Symbol: Ag
• Atomic Number: 47
• Category (as an element): Transition Metal
• Group/ Period/ Block (in the Periodic Table): 11/ 5/ d
• Atomic Weight: 107.8682 g.mol-1
• Electron Configuration: [Kr] 4d10 5s1
Physical properties
• Density (near room temperature): 10.49 g.cm-3
• Liquid Density (at melting point): 9.320 g.cm-3
• Melting Point: 961.78°C, 1234.93°F, 2041.4°K
• Boiling Point: 2162°C, 3924°F, 2435°K
• Heat of Fusion: 11.28 kJ.mol-1
Atomic properties
• Oxidation States: 1, 2, 3
• Electronegativity: 1.93 (Pauling scale)
• Atomic Radius: 144 picometre
• Covalent Radius: 145±5 picometre
• Van der Waals Radius: 172 picometre
Despite having higher electrical conductivity than copper, silver isn't used much for electrical purposes. There are two reasons for this: 1) silver has a greater tendency to tarnish and; 2) silver is much more expensive.
Popular uses of silver
As a precious metal, silver has been highly valued for ages. Uses and applications include the following:
1. Jewelry-sterling silver is used in the making of fine jewelry and watches.
2. Silverware-sterling silver is also used in the making of utensils, tableware and ornaments.
3. Photography-silver nitrate and silver halides are used in making film.
4. Electrical and electronic products-silver paints are used in making printed circuits and silver electrical contacts are used in making computer keyboards.
5. Dentistry-silver-mercury alloy is used in the making of dental amalgams.
6. Clothing-silver ions are mixed with the polymer to make yarns.
7. Optics and mirrors-for automobiles and home uses
8. Currency or coinage-as in silver bullion.
The principal sources of silver are copper, lead, zinc and gold ores. Silver also occurs in the minerals chlorargyrite and argentite. Some of the top silver-producing countries in the world are the United States, Canada, Peru, and Mexico.
Due to competing store-of-value and industrial demands, the price of silver has fluctuated considerably over the last century. In early 2010 the price of silver precious was estimated at about 18 U.S. dollars per troy ounce (or 588 U.S. dollars per kilogram).
