Silver: A Precious Metal With The Highest Thermal And Electrical Conductivity

Silver is mostly described as a soft, white, lustrous metallic chemical element. It occurs naturally in its pure form, as an alloy with different metallic elements (especially gold), and in chlorargyrite and other minerals. As one of three coinage metals (the other two being copper and gold), silver is
very malleable and ductile.

Of the totally different metals, silver is known to have the best thermal
conductivity. Similarly of the different identified elements, silver has the
best electrical conductivity. Offered below are some of the properties of this
precious metal.

General:

• Chemical Symbol: Ag

• Atomic Number: 47

• Category (as an element): Transition Metal

• Group/ Period/ Block (within the Periodic Table): 11/ 5/ d

• Atomic Weight: 107.8682 g.mol-1

• Electron Configuration: [Kr] 4d10 5s1

Physical:

• Density (close to 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

• Heat of Vaporization: 250.58 kJ.mol-1

Atomic:

• 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

• Ionization Energies: 731 kJ.mol-1 (first), 2070 kJ.mol-1 (second), 3361 kJ.mol-1 (third)

Despite having higher electrical conductivity than copper, silver isn’t as much used for electrical purposes as copper is. There are two reasons for this: first is that silver has a greater tendency to tarnish; and second is that silver is much more expensive.

As a precious metal, silver has been much valued for ages with its so many purposes, as in the following:

1. Jewelry (sterling silver is used in making fine jewellery and watches).

2. Silverware (sterling silver can be used in making utensils, tableware and ornaments).

3. Photography (silver nitrate and silver halides are used in making films).

4. Electrical and electronic products (silver paints are used in making printed circuits; silver electrical contacts are used in making pc keyboards).

5. Dentistry (silver-mercury alloy is utilized in making dental amalgams).

6. Optics and mirrors.

7. Numerous industrial and commercial uses (silver is ideal for use as a catalyst in chemical reactions).

8. Clothing (silver ions are combined with the polymer to make yarns).

9. Medication (silver compounds and silver ions have poisonous effect on some viruses, fungi and bacteria, however not on humans).

10. Coinage (as in silver bullion).

The principal sources of silver are copper, lead, zinc and gold ores. It additionally occurs within the minerals chlorargyrite and argentite. Of course, silver happens natively, too. Some of the high silver-producing countries on the earth are the United States, Canada, Peru, and Mexico. Fine silver, which has a minimum of 99.9% silver, is obtainable commercially.

Due to competing store-of-value and industrial demands, the price of silver has fluctuated considerably over the past century. As of the beginning of 2010, the price of this precious metal is estimated at about 18 U.S. dollars per troy ounce (or 588 U.S. dollars per kilogram). In February 2011, silver prices were just over $28 per ounce.

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