Silver
Silver (Ag)
At home, I have a few bracelets, rings and earrings made of silver. Since I see silver quite a lot, I decided it would be fun to learn more about silver, so that's why I chose this element.
Why do I find it interesting?
I find silver quite interesting for a number of reasons. Firstly, the look of silver satisfies me, especially since it is natural. I also think that it is quite interesting because it has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity out of all the metals.
How did it get its name?
The word silver is Anglo-Saxon, and comes from Seolfor, meaning silver. It's origin is also partly from the Latin word, Argentum. This word also means silver.
Does it match up to its abbreviation?
The origin of the word Silver is Argentum, so the Latin word matches the abbreviation of silver- Ag.
When was Silver discovered?
Silver was first discovered between 5000BC and 4000BC.
Who discovered Silver?
It is impossible to find out who first discovered silver because it was discovered so long ago.
What does silver look like?
Silver is a crisp, shiny, attractive and grey metal that can be reflective.
Properties or characteristics of silver
- Ductile
- Best conductor of heat and electricity out of all metals
- Melting point: 961.93 degrees Celsius
- Boiling point: 2212 degrees Celsius
- Atomic Mass: 107.87
- Reflective
- Shiny
- Malleable
What is it like at room temperature?
Silver doesn't change its physical appearance at room temperature. It doesn't evaporate and doesn't turn into a liquid either. It stays as it is already- solid.
Why is it important to preserve or to keep creating silver?
There are a number of reasons as to why we should preserve silver. One reason includes its importance to humans. Silver can be used as medicine to help humans fight infection. Without silver (medicine form), we could become ill. Silver also is made for dentistry, jewelry, coins, tableware utensils, photography and cement, and if we preserve silver, we will have a higher number of these objects. There are also people who create these products, so if we have no more silver, these employees have nothing to make, therefore they would lose their jobs.
What is it used for?
- Dentistry
- Jewelry
- Medicine
- Coins
- Tableware utensils
- Photography
- Cement for glass
Two unusual things about silver:
- I found it unusual that silver was a high conductor of electricity and heat
- What I also found interesting was how high the melting point of silver was.