Background

Use of Silver

The principal use of silver is as a precious metal and its halide salts, especially silver nitrate , are also widely used in photography (which is the largest single end use of silver). Some other uses for silver are as follows:

• Electrical and electronic products, which need silver's superior conductivity, even when tarnished. For example, printed circuits are made using silver paints, and computer keyboards use silver electrical contacts. Silver is also used in high voltage contacts because it is the only metal that will not arc across contacts, hence it is extremely safe.
• Mirrors which need silver's superior reflectivity for visible light are made with silver as the reflecting material. Common mirrors are backed with aluminium.

• Silver has been coined to produce money since 700 BC by the Lydians , in the form of electrum . Later, silver was refined and coined in its pure form. The words for "silver" and "money" are the same in at least 14 languages.
• The metal is chosen for its beauty in the manufacture of jewelry and silverware, which are traditionally made from the silver alloy known as Sterling silver , which is 92.5% silver.
• The malleability, non-toxicity and beauty of silver make it useful in dental alloys for fittings and fillings.
• Silver's catalytic properties make it ideal for use as a catalyst in oxidation reactions; for example, the production of formaldehyde from methanol and air by means of silver screens or crystallites containing a minimum 99.95 weight -percent silver.
• Used to make solder and brazing alloys, electrical contacts , and high capacity silver-zinc and silver-cadmium batteries .
• Silver sulfide , also known as Silver Whiskers , is formed when silver electrical contacts are used in an atmosphere rich in hydrogen sulfide .
• Silver fulminate is a powerful explosive .
• Silver chloride can be made transparent and is used as a cement for glass.
• Silver iodide has been used in attempts to seed clouds to produce rain.
• In legend , silver is traditionally seen as harmful to supernatural creatures like werewolves and vampires . The use of silver fashioned into bullets for firearms is a popular application.
• Silver oxide is used as a positive electrode ( cathode ) in watch batteries.
• Ionic silver is an effective antibacterial / antibiotic. It is applied (typically in the form of a salt) to some bandage materials.

Source: www.wikipedia.org

"When gold argues the cause, eloquence is impotent."
Publilius Syrus