Silver is a valuable, ductile metal with industrial and ornamental uses. It is heavily mined and appears in many compounds, including silver nitrate. Silver has been used in currency and jewelry for centuries, and can be found at various price points worldwide.
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the atomic number 47 and the symbol Ag. The “Ag”, incidentally, comes from the Latin word argentum. This is probably one of the best known chemical elements, since some people own jewelry or tools made with it, and a number of cultures have traditional beliefs and myths about this metal. Silver also has industrial uses as well as ornamental ones and is heavily mined around the world to meet global demand.
Humans have known of the existence of silver for thousands of years and it has long been valued as a precious metal. Archaeological digs sometimes unearth artifacts made from this metal ranging from plated armor to elaborate jewelry. Silver is relatively ductile, although not as soft as gold, and is relatively easy to work with or alloy with other metals such as copper. In its pure form, it is a lustrous metal with high thermal and electrical conductivity, although it tarnishes easily, so many objects turn greenish to black with age. However, when this tarnish is gently removed, the silver underneath will shine again.
In nature, silver is sometimes found as a free metal and can also appear in deposits with other metals such as copper and gold. Chemical treatment processes can help refine these metals into pure forms for commercial use. It also appears in some minerals, and like other elements, silver combines to make a wide range of compounds, including silver nitrate, a salt with numerous uses, from photography to antiseptics.
Silver and various salts of this metal are used in many industrial processes. The element itself is non-toxic, but its salts are and should be handled with care. It’s generally a good idea to wear eye protection and gloves when handling them, and people should avoid inhaling or consuming them. Metalworking with metal can also be dangerous, due to the use of lead soldering agents and toxic fluxes to work it.
This metal has also historically been used in currency, because it is intrinsically valuable. Most nations have abandoned the use of precious metals in their currency, but special commemorative coins can be issued in silver and gold for collectors. Jewelry, of course, ranges from mass-produced sterling silver rings to ornately crafted masterpieces, and can be found all over the world at a wide variety of price points.
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