Silver (Ag)
Element 47 · Transition metal · atomic mass 107.87 u · group 11, period 5
Electron shells: 2, 8, 18, 18, 1
Silver is the best electrical and thermal conductor of any element and the most reflective. It is also strongly antibacterial, which medicine exploited long before germ theory.
No element conducts electricity better than silver — copper only wins on price.
- Atomic number
- 47
- Atomic mass
- 107.87 u
- Electron configuration
- [Kr] 5s¹ 4d¹⁰
- Group · period · block
- 11 · 5 · d
- Oxidation states
- +1
- Electronegativity
- 1.93 (Pauling)
- Melting point
- 962 °C
- Boiling point
- 2,162 °C
- Density
- 10.501 g/cm³
- State at 20 °C
- Solid
- Appearance
- Lustrous white metal
- Discovered
- Known since antiquity
47 protons, and 47 electrons when neutral
IUPAC standard atomic weight
Coinage metals
What Silver is used for
- Solar-panel conductive paste
- Electrical contacts and solder
- Antibacterial dressings and coatings
- Jewellery, coinage and mirrors
Atomic structure of Silver
A neutral silver atom has 47 protons and 47 electrons. Its most common isotope carries about 61 neutrons, which is where the mass number 108 comes from. Change the neutron count and you have a different isotope of silver; change the proton count and you have a different element entirely.
Those electrons fill shells from the inside out: 2, 8, 18, 18, 1. In orbital notation that is [Kr] 5s¹ 4d¹⁰. As a d-block element its valence count is variable, which is why it can form compounds in several oxidation states.
3D electron orbitals
See where Silver's electrons actually are — a cloud of 26,000 points sampled from the probability density |ψ|², not a cartoon of a lobe.
Where Silver sits in the periodic table
The d-block. Multiple stable oxidation states give them coloured compounds, catalytic ability and the strength that makes them the working metals of industry.
Discovery and naming
Silver has been known and used since antiquity, long before anyone could describe it as an element. Its name comes from Old English seolfor; symbol from Latin argentum, which is also why its symbol (Ag) does not match its English name.
Keep exploring
Atomic weight from IUPAC/CIAAW; physical properties from PubChem (US National Library of Medicine). Values that have never been measured are shown as “not measured” rather than estimated.
Related Calculators
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the atomic mass of Silver?
The standard atomic weight of Silver is 107.87 u, as published by IUPAC's Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights.
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does Silver have?
Silver has 47 protons, because the atomic number is the proton count and that is what makes an atom Silver at all. A neutral Silver atom has the same number of electrons, 47. The neutron count varies by isotope; the most common one has about 61, since 108 − 47 = 61.
What is the electron configuration of Silver?
The electron configuration of Silver is [Kr] 5s¹ 4d¹⁰. Its electrons are arranged 2, 8, 18, 18, 1 across 5 shells.
Is Silver a metal?
Yes. Silver is classified as a transition metal, on the metallic side of the table.
What group and period is Silver in?
Silver is in group 11 (the coinage metals), period 5, in the d-block. The group is its column and the period is its row.
What is the charge of Silver?
Silver most commonly forms a 1+ ion. Like most transition metals it has several accessible oxidation states, so the charge depends on the compound.
What is the melting point of Silver?
Silver melts at 962 °C and boils at 2,162 °C. That puts it in the solids at everyday temperatures.
What is Silver used for?
Solar-panel conductive paste, Electrical contacts and solder, Antibacterial dressings and coatings, Jewellery, coinage and mirrors. Silver is the best electrical and thermal conductor of any element and the most reflective.
Who discovered Silver, and where does its name come from?
Silver (Ag) has been known and used since antiquity, long before anyone could describe it as an element. The name comes from Old English seolfor; symbol from Latin argentum.