Silver was discovered by ancient civilizations. The ancient
peoples used it in dental work as well, as jewelry. Silver
tarnishes slowly as sulfur compounds in the atmosphere
react with the surface. Silver has been used for jewelery and
tableware since ancient times, but it is also employed for
silvering glass and in photography, as well as for industrial
purposes. World production is about 10,000 tons per year. Silver
is present in the human body but has no known role. Silver is
number 108 on the periodic table of elements and it isn't
highly reactive. Silvers atomic number is 47 and its symbol is
Ag.
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Silver is a precious metal but not as important as it'S
sister metal gold. The reason for this is because it is easier
to find and less hard to mine. Pure silver has a white metallic
color. It is a little harder than gold and is very ductile and
malleable. Pure silver has the highest electrical and thermal
conductivity of all metals, and has the lowest contact
resistance. It is stable in pure air and water, but tarnishes.
While silver itself is not considered to be toxic most of its
salts are poisonous. Sterling silver is used for jewelry,
silverware, etc. Silver occurs native and in ores. Mexico,
Canada, Peru, and the U.S. are the principal silver
producers in the western hemisphere.
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