Silver (Ag)

Shiny, white metal

Silver has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal and has been currency for millennia, and with [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s¹, silver's single 5s electron is extremely mobile, giving it the highest conductivity (6.30×10⁷ S/m) of any element. Silver ions are antimicrobial, killing bacteria by disrupting cell membranes.

Key metrics

Density10.49g/cm³

Melting point1,235K

Boiling point2,435K

Electronegativity1.93Pauling

Discovery

-3000discovered

Discovered by: Ancient civilizations
Reactivity profile: Tarnishes in air
Reactivity: Low
Bonding: Metallic

Electron configuration

\textcolor{#6b7280}{[Kr]}\; \textcolor{#22c55e}{4_{d}^{10}}\; \textcolor{#ef4444}{5_{s}^{1}}

[Kr] 4d10 5s1

Wave function

\Psi_{\text{Ag}} \approx \frac{1}{\sqrt{47!}} \det \left| \chi_1(\mathbf{r}_1) \dots \chi_{47}(\mathbf{r}_{47}) \right|

Probability density $|\Psi|^2$ across the Ag valence shell.

Crystal structure

Face-Centered Cubic

Lattice constantsa = 1.00

Cell anglesα = β = γ = 90°

Coordination number12

Atoms per cell4

Atomic packing factor0.74

Physical properties

Atomic radius: 144 pm
Ionization energy: 731 kJ/mol
Electron affinity: 126 kJ/mol
Crystal structure: Face-centered cubic (fcc)

Oxidation states

Acid/base

Basic

Strongly acidicStrongly basic

State at 25 °CSolid

1235 K2435 K298 K

Emission spectrum

4 transitions

380450500550600650700780

VioletBlueGreenYellowRed

338.3nmAg I (UV)UV60%

431.2nmAg I (blue)Violet50%

520.9nmAg I (green)Green100%

546.5nmAg I (green)Green80%

Dominant line 520.9 nmRange 338–547 nmTransitions 4