Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag (Greek: άργυρος <árgyros>, Latin: argentum, both from the Indo-European root *arg- for "grey" or "shining") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal. The metal occurs naturally in its pure, free form (native silver), as an alloy with gold and other metals, and in minerals such as argentite and chlorargyrite. Most silver is produced as a byproduct of copper, gold, lead, and zinc refining.
Silver has long been valued as a precious metal, and is used as an investment, to make ornaments, jewelry, high-value tableware, utensils (hence the term silverware), and currency coins. Today, silver metal is also used in electrical contacts and conductors, in mirrors and in catalysis of chemical reactions. Its compounds are used in photographic film, and dilute silver nitrate solutions and other silver compounds are used as disinfectants and microbiocides (oligodynamic effect). While many medical antimicrobial uses of silver have been supplanted by antibiotics, further research into clinical potential continues.
Read more about Silver: Characteristics, Isotopes, Compounds, Applications, History, Occurrence and Extraction, Price, Human Exposure and Consumption
Other articles related to "silver":
... of cast brass and bronze as well as silver-bronzed copper was adopted ... Other metals were used only rarely, except for silver and gold plating on decorations ... a wooden coffin that is wrapped in silk (black with gold trim for rulers, red with silver trim for others) ...
... Silver is used in food coloring it has the E174 designation and is approved in the European Union ... The amount of silver in the coating of dragée or as in cookie decoration is minuscule ... The safety of silver for use in food is disputed ...
... grateful for the victory, bestowed the chapel with a large silver votive offering ... subduing a city fire in 1706, punishing a Russian soldier for an attempt to steal her silver clothes in 1708, and numerous miraculous healings ... They are usually small silver objects (hearts, crucifixes, figures of praying people, images of cured eyes, legs, arms) ...
... Dokturishvili Wrestling Men's Greco-Roman (74 kg) 2 Silver Ibragimov, MagomedMagomed Ibragimov Wrestling Men's Freestyle (74 kg) 3 Bronze Sooltonov, BahodirjonBahodirjon Sooltonov ...
... George Silver (ca ... in at least one challenge), and eleventh in descent from Sir Bartholomew Silver, who was knighted by Edward II ...
Famous quotes containing the word silver:
“A black pall, you know, with a silver cross on it, or R.I.P.—requiescat in pace—you know. That seems to me the most beautiful expression—I like it much better than ‘He is a jolly good fellow,’ which is simply rowdy.”
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955)
““Maman”, said Annaïse, her voice strangely weak. “Here is the water.”
A thin blade of silver came forward in the plain and the peasants ran alongside it, crying and singing.
...
“Oh, Manuel, Manuel, why are you dead?” moaned Délira.
“No”, said Annaïse, and she smiled through her tears, “no, he is not dead”.
She took the old woman’s hand and pressed gently against her belly where new life stirred.”
—Jacques Roumain (1907–1945)
“When I from black and he from white cloud free,
And round the tent of Godlike lambs we joy,
I’ll shade him from the heat till he can bear
To lean in joy upon our father’s knee;
And then I’ll stand and stroke his silver hair,
And be like him, and he will then love me.”
—William Blake (1757–1827)