Is Silver a Metal or Nonmetal? (+3 Surprising Facts to Know)

Silver is a metal. It is a transition metal that belongs to Group 11 of the periodic table. Like other metals, it has a shiny appearance, is a good conductor of heat and electricity, and is malleable and ductile. ¹

Well, this was just a simple answer. But there are few more things to know about this topic which will make your concept super clear.

So let’s dive right into it.

Why is silver a metal?

Silver is a metal because it is a chemical element with certain physical and chemical properties that are characteristic of metals. 

Specifically, silver is a transition metal that is ductile, malleable, lustrous, and a good conductor of electricity and heat. ²

These properties are common among metals, and distinguish them from other types of elements, such as nonmetals or metalloids.

In addition, silver has a unique atomic structure that is typical of metals. It has a high atomic number (47), meaning it has a relatively large number of protons and electrons compared to other elements, and its outermost electrons are free to move around, making it an excellent conductor of electricity. ^{3 4 5}

Overall, silver’s combination of physical and chemical properties make it a metal, and give it a wide range of practical applications in industry, medicine, and technology.

Properties of silver that classify it as a metal

Silver possesses several properties that classify it as a metal. Here are some of them:

• Ductility: Silver is ductile, meaning it can be stretched into thin wires without breaking. ⁶ This property is common among metals and makes silver useful in many applications, such as in electrical wiring.
• Malleability: Silver is also malleable, meaning it can be flattened into thin sheets without breaking. Again, this property is typical of metals and is useful in many applications, such as in the production of silverware.
• Luster: Silver has a bright, shiny appearance, which is referred to as its luster. This property is a result of its ability to reflect light, and it makes silver attractive for use in jewelry and other decorative items. ⁷
• High conductivity: Silver is an excellent conductor of electricity, meaning it allows electrical current to flow through it with little resistance. This property makes it useful in many electronic applications, such as in circuits and sensors.
• High thermal conductivity: Silver is also an excellent conductor of heat, meaning it allows heat to flow through it with little resistance. This property makes it useful in applications where heat needs to be transferred quickly and efficiently, such as in heat exchangers. ^{8 9}
• Durable: Silver is a relatively hard and durable metal, meaning it can withstand wear and tear over time without corroding or breaking down. This property makes it useful in many industrial applications where durability is important.

Overall, these properties combine to make silver a versatile and useful metal with a wide range of practical applications.

How is silver different from other metals?

Silver is different from other metals in several ways. Here are some examples:

• Reactivity: Silver is less reactive than many other metals, meaning it doesn’t readily corrode or tarnish in air or water. This property makes silver valuable for use in items that require a high degree of chemical stability, such as mirrors and medical instruments.
• Antibacterial properties: Silver has unique antibacterial properties, which means it can kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria. This property makes it useful in medical applications, such as in wound dressings and implants. ^{10 11 12}
• Density: Silver is less dense than many other metals, meaning it has a lower mass for a given volume. This property makes it useful in applications where weight is a concern, such as in aerospace and automotive industries.
• Rarity: Silver is less abundant in the Earth’s crust than many other metals, meaning it is rarer and more valuable. This property has made silver a valuable commodity for thousands of years, and it continues to be used as a store of value today.
• Reflectivity: Silver is one of the most reflective metals, meaning it can reflect light with a high degree of efficiency. This property makes it useful in a wide range of applications, such as in mirrors, solar panels, and photography.

Overall, while silver shares many properties with other metals, its unique combination of physical and chemical characteristics make it a valuable and versatile material with many practical applications.

Further reading

Is Cadmium a Metal?
Is Tin a Metal or Nonmetal?
Is Iodine a Metal or Nonmetal?
Is Xenon a Metal?
Is Barium a Metal or Nonmetal? 

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2. Boudreaux, K. A. (n.d.). The Parts of the Periodic Table. The Parts of the Periodic Table. https://www.angelo.edu/faculty/kboudrea/periodic/trans_transition.htm
3. Vanjaria, J., Houghton, T., & Yu, H. (2016, June 17). Novel Silver-Polymer Blend with High Conductivity and Stretchability for Flexible Interconnects. MRS Advances, 1(51), 3471–3476. https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2016.459
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9. Busch, P., Cheston, S., & Greywall, D. (1984, August). Properties of sintered-silver heat exchangers. Cryogenics, 24(8), 445–447. https://doi.org/10.1016/0011-2275(84)90021-3
10. Clement, J. L., & Jarrett, P. S. (1994, January 1). Antibacterial Silver. Metal-Based Drugs, 1(5–6), 467–482. https://doi.org/10.1155/mbd.1994.467
11. Ramalingam, B., Parandhaman, T., & Das, S. K. (2016, February 12). Antibacterial Effects of Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles on Surface Ultrastructure and Nanomechanical Properties of Gram-Negative Bacteria viz. Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 8(7), 4963–4976. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.6b00161
12. Swathy, J. R., Sankar, M. U., Chaudhary, A., Aigal, S., Anshup, & Pradeep, T. (2014, November 24). Antimicrobial silver: An unprecedented anion effect. Scientific Reports, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep07161