What is silver? Detailed answer

BIG ENCYCLOPEDIA FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS
Free library / Directory / Big encyclopedia for children and adults

What is silver? Detailed answer

Big encyclopedia for children and adults

Directory / Big encyclopedia. Questions for quiz and self-education

Did you know?

What is silver?

Silver has been mined since ancient times. In Europe, the state of kings was judged by the amount of silver. When the silver mines in Spain were depleted, the king of Spain was overjoyed at the news of the discovery of America: after all, this meant gaining access to the richest silver ores of Mexico and Peru. For 250 years, the Spanish kings annually received $4 million worth of silver from the Potosí mine in Peru!

During the California gold rush, miners cursed the "black earth" that accompanied the gold-bearing rock. And only a chance helped to determine that this is an ore containing silver!

Silver is one of the most common metals. Sometimes nuggets of this metal are found, and in Norway a silver nugget weighing three quarters of a ton was once found! But usually it is an ore from which the metal must be extracted.

In such an ore, silver together with sulfur forms silver sulfide or is included in other sulfides such as copper sulfide, lead sulfide and arsenic sulfide. In the US, silver is usually mined in combination with lead. Since silver forms compounds with various metals, there are many ways to separate silver from its by-products.

Currently, almost 850 kilograms of pure silver are mined all over the world per year. The main producers are Mexico, USA and Canada.

Silver is a soft metal, so it is often used in combination with other metals. Silver coins, for example, contain 90% silver and 10% copper. The composition, intended for jewelry, jewelry and cutlery, contains 92,5% silver and 7,5% copper.

The definition of "sterling" silver has an interesting history. It comes from the Easterling family who lived in Northern Germany. This family was known for their honesty, so King John of England commissioned them in 1215 to make metal coins for England. The task was carried out so well that even today their name means the highest degree of reliability. Sterling silver has a special marking, the word "sterling" or a specific mark, depending on the country.

Pure silver does not darken in air. Darkening indicates the presence of sulfur in the air - for example, with air pollution or if there are oil fields nearby. After gold, silver is the easiest metal to work with. Thirty grams of silver can be used to draw a wire over 50 km long. It is also the best known conductor of heat and electricity.

Author: Likum A.

Random interesting fact from the Great Encyclopedia:

Which hemisphere of the Earth is drier?

Land and water are unevenly distributed over the surface of our planet. The greatest continents of Eurasia and North America lie in the Northern Hemisphere. 4/5 people live there. Most of the Southern Hemisphere is occupied by the Pacific Ocean with an area of 178,620 million km². This is more than the sum of all other seas and oceans.

Look at the globe: turning it towards you in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, you will see almost only one water surface.

Test your knowledge! Did you know...

▪ Which stars are called white dwarfs and what is their average density?

▪ Why do baby kangaroos stay in a pouch for so long?

▪ What does the star on the Mercedes-Benz logo symbolize?

See other articles Section Big encyclopedia. Questions for quiz and self-education.

Read and write useful comments on this article.

<< Back

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

Machine for thinning flowers in gardens 02.05.2024

In modern agriculture, technological progress is developing aimed at increasing the efficiency of plant care processes. The innovative Florix flower thinning machine was presented in Italy, designed to optimize the harvesting stage. This tool is equipped with mobile arms, allowing it to be easily adapted to the needs of the garden. The operator can adjust the speed of the thin wires by controlling them from the tractor cab using a joystick. This approach significantly increases the efficiency of the flower thinning process, providing the possibility of individual adjustment to the specific conditions of the garden, as well as the variety and type of fruit grown in it. After testing the Florix machine for two years on various types of fruit, the results were very encouraging. Farmers such as Filiberto Montanari, who has used a Florix machine for several years, have reported a significant reduction in the time and labor required to thin flowers. ... >>

Advanced Infrared Microscope 02.05.2024

Microscopes play an important role in scientific research, allowing scientists to delve into structures and processes invisible to the eye. However, various microscopy methods have their limitations, and among them was the limitation of resolution when using the infrared range. But the latest achievements of Japanese researchers from the University of Tokyo open up new prospects for studying the microworld. Scientists from the University of Tokyo have unveiled a new microscope that will revolutionize the capabilities of infrared microscopy. This advanced instrument allows you to see the internal structures of living bacteria with amazing clarity on the nanometer scale. Typically, mid-infrared microscopes are limited by low resolution, but the latest development from Japanese researchers overcomes these limitations. According to scientists, the developed microscope allows creating images with a resolution of up to 120 nanometers, which is 30 times higher than the resolution of traditional microscopes. ... >>

Air trap for insects 01.05.2024

Agriculture is one of the key sectors of the economy, and pest control is an integral part of this process. A team of scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Potato Research Institute (ICAR-CPRI), Shimla, has come up with an innovative solution to this problem - a wind-powered insect air trap. This device addresses the shortcomings of traditional pest control methods by providing real-time insect population data. The trap is powered entirely by wind energy, making it an environmentally friendly solution that requires no power. Its unique design allows monitoring of both harmful and beneficial insects, providing a complete overview of the population in any agricultural area. “By assessing target pests at the right time, we can take necessary measures to control both pests and diseases,” says Kapil ... >>

Random news from the Archive

Ultra-fast thermal printer unit with USB interface 13.02.2003

FUJITSU COMPONENTS has introduced a new ultra-fast USB thermal printer unit type FTP-639USL001/002.

The block is powered by 24 V, its dimensions are 136x162x107 mm, weight is 1,5 kg. Print speed 200 mm / s with a resolution of 8 dots per mm.

Other interesting news:

▪ Is there water on Mars

▪ New uninterruptible power supplies Schneider Electric

▪ Purification of water and soil from cadmium

▪ inflatable tablets

▪ The largest X-ray laser gun is launched

News feed of science and technology, new electronics

Interesting materials of the Free Technical Library:

▪ site section Measuring equipment. Article selection

▪ article Life is short, art is eternal. Popular expression

▪ article What is the strength of a diamond? Detailed answer

▪ article Maintenance of technological wells, pipelines at oil products supply enterprises. Standard instruction on labor protection

▪ article LED lamp. Encyclopedia of radio electronics and electrical engineering

▪ article Cube and two handkerchiefs. Focus Secret

Leave your comment on this article:

All languages of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews