What Is The Difference Between Silver And Sterling Silver?
As any good student of chemistry can tell you, silver is a chemical element. Its atomic number is 47, and its symbol is Ag, which comes from argentum, the Latin word meaning shiny or white. Sterling silver, on the other hand, is not found on the periodic table. So, what is sterling silver? Let’s take a closer look at both, comparing sterling silver vs. silver.
People have always used precious metals for currency and adornment, and the first known use of silver dates all the way back to 3000 BC. Pure silver is beautiful, but it is unfortunately it is very soft, making it difficult to shape into different objects. If something is described as pure silver, that means it’s made of 99.9 percent elemental silver, with very few trace elements. Pure silver isn’t easily shaped into intricate designs, and it’s not durable enough for items that are used every day. However, it can be used to make fine jewelry, and one of the advantages of pure silver is that it’s hypoallergenic. If you have a piece of silver jewelry, you can tell it’s pure silver if it is stamped with a 999, to indicate purity.
Is sterling silver real? Sterling silver is absolutely real, it’s just not as pure as pure silver. Sterling silver is an alloy, containing 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent of another metal, usually copper or zinc, so it’s stamped with 925 to indicate its silver content. Sterling silver doesn’t typically trigger allergic reactions, but for people with skin that’s extremely sensitive to copper, it can cause a problem. Sterling is durable enough to be worked and re-worked many times without losing its quality or weakening, so it’s easily shaped into delicate pieces of jewelry. You can wear your sterling silver ring, earrings, or necklace every day without worrying that it will be damaged.
Sterling silver has many different uses, from jewelry to silverware to plates, platters, and coffee sets. It’s also used for silver-plated items, which are made of a different metal coated with a thin layer of sterling silver. Sterling silver tarnishes more easily than pure silver, but pure silver will tarnish as well. Tarnish is the result of a chemical reaction between silver and sulfur-containing compounds in the air. You can prevent tarnishing by using your silver regularly and storing it in a dark, dry place, out of the air. Tarnish can also be cleaned with anti-tarnish liquids and a soft cloth.
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