By: Lilly Airington
History
There is no real way to tell when exactly silver was discovered, as humans have been using it since the almost the beginning of time. However, silver has been found in tombs going all the way back to 4000 bc. It is believed that silver (and gold) were used for money around 800 bc in any country from the Indus River to the Nile.
Abundance
Everything is made up of elements and this element is spread throughout nature. It is even in other elements. Sulfides of lead, copper, and zinc have silver in them. Although there is a lot of silver on Earth, there is not as much compared to other metals.
Reactivity and Compounds
Out of all the transition elements, silver is the least reactive. Regular oxygen and moist air do not make it react. However, it does react slowly in the air with sulfur compounds producing silver sulfide which is the tarnish on silverware.
How Silver is used in life, by industry, and in technology
Silver is used to make jewelry, ornaments, and coins. It is used for “fabricating printed electrical circuits and as a vapour-deposited coating for electronic conductors; it is also alloyed with such elements as nickel or palladium for use in electrical contacts.” Brittanica Silver is used in photographic film as well. When silver bromide and silver iodide are coated onto film they can capture images to take photographs and make movies.
Random Silver Uses:
-To stop bacteria from spreading, most door handles are coated in silver.
-Silver is used for solar panels and for creating solar powered mechanisms. Silver is in high demand for creating solar powered items.
- The yellow color in stained glass is actually silver nitrate
-Silver nano is used in washing machines. Clothes are covered in silver ions for bacteria free clothes. The safety of these washing machines is debatable.
-Silver chloride makes a good pottery glaze.
-Silver is also present in hygiene products such as deodorant. Silver chloride is used in this.
-The brand Coonan makes bullets coated in 99% silver.
Random Silver Uses:
-To stop bacteria from spreading, most door handles are coated in silver.
-Silver is used for solar panels and for creating solar powered mechanisms. Silver is in high demand for creating solar powered items.
- The yellow color in stained glass is actually silver nitrate
-Silver nano is used in washing machines. Clothes are covered in silver ions for bacteria free clothes. The safety of these washing machines is debatable.
-Silver chloride makes a good pottery glaze.
-Silver is also present in hygiene products such as deodorant. Silver chloride is used in this.
-The brand Coonan makes bullets coated in 99% silver.
Historical, literary and scripture references to Silver
Here are some Bible verses on Silver:
Numbers 22:18
Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the LORD my God.
1 Chronicles 29:7
and for the service for the house of God they gave 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics of gold, and 10,000 talents of silver, and 18,000 talents of brass, and 100,000 talents of iron.
Ezekiel 28:4
By your wisdom and understanding You have acquired riches for yourself And have acquired gold and silver for your treasuries.
In the Bible, Jesus was crucified after Judas betrayed Him for thirty pieces of silver.
Matthew 26:15
and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.
There are many more verses, here are just a few examples
Literary References to Silver:
The Silver Sword book about a family living in Warsaw while Nazi soldiers are taking over where they live.The Silver Touch which is a romance novel about a silversmith from Georgia who lived in her husband’s shadow until the situation made her show her talents. There are many other books here are just two examples.
The Silver Sword book about a family living in Warsaw while Nazi soldiers are taking over where they live.The Silver Touch which is a romance novel about a silversmith from Georgia who lived in her husband’s shadow until the situation made her show her talents. There are many other books here are just two examples.
A Historical reference to Silver is In the ancient times, around 1200 bc, they used silver for trade and Spain was the capital of the production of silver. The Spanish conquest of The New World made people mine silver more.
Unique and Interesting Facts
Two things that are unique to silver are it reflects light and better than any other element, it conducts electricity and heat.
- Out of the entire English language, silver is almost impossible to rhyme
- 7.5% of sterling silver is usually copper
- Silver was more valued than gold in ancient Egypt and Medieval Europe
- Since silver reflects almost all light, it is used in mirrors
- Out of the entire English language, silver is almost impossible to rhyme
- 7.5% of sterling silver is usually copper
- Silver was more valued than gold in ancient Egypt and Medieval Europe
- Since silver reflects almost all light, it is used in mirrors
Medicinal Values
In World War 1, silver was often used to fight disease. It is used on bandages and it is used in X-ray machines.The FDA recently approved of a breathing tube coated in silver.
Video:
This is a video on how you can clean tarnish of of silverware using chemistry at home instead of paying money to get it done somewhere else. https://youtu.be/aQvQ29fqZsk
Works Cited
"Silver." 82 Bible Verses about. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/ topics/Silver>.
"Silver (Ag) | Chemical Element." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <http://www.britannica.com/science/silver>.
"The Children's War: The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier." The Children's War: The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <http://thechildrenswar.blogspot.com/ 2011/07/silver-sword-by-ian-serraillier.html>.
"The Silver Touch." Goodreads. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <http://www.goodreads.com/book/ show/673714.The_Silver_Touch>.
"SILVER." Silver, Chemical Element. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <http:// www.chemistryexplained.com/elements/P-T/Silver.html>.
"Silver Facts - Properties, Uses, Atom, Element Ag, Price, Coins, Sterling, Jewelry." Silver Facts - Properties, Uses, Atom, Element Ag, Price, Coins, Sterling, Jewelry. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/metals/silver.html>.
"Interesting Facts." About Silver. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <http://igentry.blogspot.com/ 2008/07/interesting-facts-about-silver.html>.
"Silver in Medicine | The Silver Institute." The Silver Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <https://www.silverinstitute.org/site/silver-in-technology/silver-in-medicine/>.
Dave. "101 Uses of Silver in Everyday Life." Silver Coins. N.p., n.d. Web. <http:// www.silvercoins.com/uses-of-silver/>.
Pappas, Stephanie. Silver. 2015. N.p.
Books:
Basher, Simon, and Adrian Dingle. The Periodic Table: Elements with Style. New York: Kingfisher, 2007. Print.
Seller, Mick. Elements, Mixtures and Reactions. London: Franklin Watts, 1993. Print.
"Silver (Ag) | Chemical Element." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <http://www.britannica.com/science/silver>.
"The Children's War: The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier." The Children's War: The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <http://thechildrenswar.blogspot.com/ 2011/07/silver-sword-by-ian-serraillier.html>.
"The Silver Touch." Goodreads. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <http://www.goodreads.com/book/ show/673714.The_Silver_Touch>.
"SILVER." Silver, Chemical Element. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <http:// www.chemistryexplained.com/elements/P-T/Silver.html>.
"Silver Facts - Properties, Uses, Atom, Element Ag, Price, Coins, Sterling, Jewelry." Silver Facts - Properties, Uses, Atom, Element Ag, Price, Coins, Sterling, Jewelry. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/metals/silver.html>.
"Interesting Facts." About Silver. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <http://igentry.blogspot.com/ 2008/07/interesting-facts-about-silver.html>.
"Silver in Medicine | The Silver Institute." The Silver Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <https://www.silverinstitute.org/site/silver-in-technology/silver-in-medicine/>.
Dave. "101 Uses of Silver in Everyday Life." Silver Coins. N.p., n.d. Web. <http:// www.silvercoins.com/uses-of-silver/>.
Pappas, Stephanie. Silver. 2015. N.p.
Books:
Basher, Simon, and Adrian Dingle. The Periodic Table: Elements with Style. New York: Kingfisher, 2007. Print.
Seller, Mick. Elements, Mixtures and Reactions. London: Franklin Watts, 1993. Print.
