Silver

Description

Standard State: solid at 298 K
Color: silver

Silver has been known since ancient times.  It is mentioned in Gneiss.  Slag dumps in Asia Minor and on islands in the Aegean Sea indicate that man learned to separate silver from lead as early as 3000 B.C.  Silver occurs native and in ores such as argenite and horn silver; lead, lead-zinc, copper, gold, and copper-nickel ores are principal sources. It is a little harder than gold and is very ductile and malleable, being exceeded only by gold and perhaps palladium.  It is stable in pure air and water, but tarnishes when exposed to ozone, hydrogen sulfide, or air containing sulfur. Sterling Silver is used for jewelry, silverware where it appearance is most predominant.  Silver is of the utmost importance in photography, about 30% of the U.S. industrial consumption going into this application.  It is used for dental alloys.  Silver is used in making solder and brazing alloys, electrical contacts.