Ag
Silver
Element 47 · Transition metal
Silver (Ag)
Silver is a lustrous white precious metal with the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any element.
- Transition metal
- Period 5
- Group 11
- d-block
- solid at room temperature
Key properties
- Atomic mass
- 107.868
- u
- Electron configuration
- [Kr] 4d10 5s1
- Melting point
- 961.8 °C
- 1,234.93 K
- Boiling point
- 2,161.9 °C
- 2,435 K
- Density
- 10.501 g/cm³
- Electronegativity
- 1.93
- Pauling
- Atomic radius
- 172 pm
- van der Waals
- 1st ionisation energy
- 7.576 eV
Compare with every element:Electronegativity chartAtomic radius chartIonisation energy chartDensity chart of the elementsMelting point chartElectron configuration chart
Did you know?
Notable facts about silver
- 01
Silver conducts electricity better than copper, but costs far too much for most wiring.
- 02
Argentina is named after silver.
- 03
Silver halides made photographic film possible.
Applications
What is silver used for?
- Jewellery and silverware
- Electronics and solar panels
- Antibacterial coatings
- Mirrors
History
Discovery & name origin
Discovered by
Known since antiquity
Year
c. 3000 BCE
Where
Known since antiquity
Name origin
Anglo-Saxon seolfor; the symbol Ag comes from Latin argentum.
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
- Atomic number
- 47
- Atomic mass
- 107.868 u
- Group
- 11
- Period
- 5
- Block
- d-block
- Electron configuration
- [Kr] 4d10 5s1
- Full configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s1 4d10
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 18, 18, 1
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 1.93
- Electron affinity
- 1.302 eV
- Atomic radius (van der Waals)
- 172 pm
- Stable isotopes
- 2
Oxidation states
Highlighted: common oxidation states (+1).
Successive ionisation energies
Energy to remove each electron in turn (kJ/mol). Big jumps show where a new, inner shell begins.
- 1st731
- 2nd2,070
- 3rd3,361
Physical
Physical properties & colour
Physical
Physical properties & colour
- State at 20 °C
- Solid
- Melting point
- 1,234.93 K · 961.8 °C · 1,763.2 °F
- Boiling point
- 2,435 K · 2,161.9 °C · 3,923.3 °F
- Density
- 10.501 g/cm³
- Molar heat capacity
- 25.35 J/(mol·K)
- Appearance
- Lustrous white metal
- CPK model colour
- Copied
The CPK colour is the convention used for this element’s atoms in molecular models.
FAQ
Silver questions
What is Ag on the periodic table?
Ag is the symbol for silver, element 47 on the periodic table. It sits in group 11, period 5, in the transition metal category, and has an atomic mass of 107.868.
What is the atomic number of silver?
Silver has atomic number 47, so every silver atom has 47 protons in its nucleus. Its symbol is Ag and its atomic mass is 107.868.
Who discovered silver?
Silver has been known since antiquity (c. 3000 BCE); no single discoverer is credited. The name comes from Anglo-Saxon seolfor; the symbol Ag comes from Latin argentum.
What is silver used for?
Silver is used for: jewellery and silverware; electronics and solar panels; antibacterial coatings; mirrors.
Is silver a metal?
Yes. Silver is a transition metal, one of the metallic elements.
What is the electron configuration of silver?
The electron configuration of silver is [Kr] 4d10 5s1. Its 47 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 18, 1.