A Visual Encyclopedia of the Periodic Table

84

Transition Metals

This mineral’s

colour changes

to purple when it is

exposed to bright light.

Black silver sulfide

forms twisted crystals.

1 g (0.03 oz)

of silver can be

drawn into a 2-km-

(1.2-mile-)

long wire.

The bright surface tarnishes

after reacting with air.

47 47 61

State: Solid

Discovery: c. 3000 bce

Forms

A

ca

nt

hit

e

Pyr

arg

yri

te

Ch

lo

ra

rg

y

ri

te

Ch

unk

Silver

Ag

47

Silver gets its symbol “Ag” from its Latin

name argentum, which means “shiny white”.

It is considered a precious metal because its

pure form has a grey shine that does not

corrode quickly, and it stays untarnished if

cleaned regularly. Silver can be found pure in

nature, but mostly it is mined from ores, such

as pyrargyrite and acanthite. Because this

element is valuable and can be moulded easily,

pure silver was used historically to make coins.

This metal is also ideal for making bracelets

and settings for gems. Some people even use

These large

opaque

cr ystals have a

glistening sheen.

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