C Silver has been known since ancient times. Silver has a brilliant white metallic luster, that is harder than gold, and very ductile and malleable. Silver has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of all metals, and possesses the lowest contact resistance. Silver is used in making solder and brazing alloys, electrical contacts, and high capacity batteries.
Silver is the best reflector of visible light known, and is used in mirror production.
Alloys and compounds of silver are also very important. Sterling silver, and alloy of copper and silver, is used for jewelry, silverware, and other things where appearance is important. Compounds containing silver are used to seed clouds, as a cement for glass, and in photography. Silver also has germicidal effects and has been used to kill many lower organisms, while not affecting more complex organisms. For the past couple of centuries, silver was commonly used in coinage, but this use has greatly declined in recent decades.