2006-09-01 00:34:24 · 11 answers · asked by jomel046 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
No. It's an element.
Doug
2006-09-01 00:36:11 · answer #1 · answered by doug_donaghue 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
First, silver is not "stainless" as it oxidixes readily to form a black layer of silver oxide. Silver oxide is actually white I think, but some of the various types of silver oxides which form react with light to turn black. At current prices, silver is a semi-precious metal and hardly a "steal" since it isn't all that cheap. The government retired silver coins a LONG time ago because it got to a point the melted coins were being traded on the silver market for more than face value. The Hunt brothers in Texas almost cornered the entire silver market and drove the prices way, way up back in the 70's. I made a killing on silver options (800% profit) when they failed, but they got oh, so, CLOSE!
Now, for what I think you are asking, about stainless steels, since this is in a chemistry section and being a thief does not seem to apply here. Stainless steel is iron with about 10% to 25% chromium alloyed in with a few other elements, such as nickel and molybdynum. The actual composition of elements determine the qualities of the steel, ductility, toughness, hardness and so forth. It is the chromium which forms chromium dioxide on the surface, which is mostly inert with the atmosphere. The chromium dioxide forms a layer a few molecules thick on the surface, so it is almost completely transparent but at the same time is highly passive. The more cohesive the layer, the more passive it is. Chromium dioxide is very cohesive, so it is also termed very passive, and all it takes is a few molecules to separate the oxygen in the atmosphere from the base metel, so corrosion comes to almost a complete halt. The thicker the layer, the slower it builds. Stainless steels stay shiny because the oxide layer forms very quickly and is very thin allowing light to reflect of the base metal.
Or maybe, you are asking abouta "stainless" type of silver? The name for that is Stirling Silver, a trade name, and it actually is a very thin clear plastic coating applied to the silver alloy base metal component, which acts like the chromium dioxide layer on a stainless steel, the plastic coating acts as a passive layer separating the base metal from the environment which reduces the corrosion rate of the base metal.
2006-09-01 08:03:47 · answer #2 · answered by rowlfe 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, no,...
Silver is an Element, do u know what the meaning of the word "Element" is?
Stainless steel is an alloy that contains Iron, Chromium, and I think some Nickel but it contains no silver, not because it is shiney.
Also Silver is not a type of Stainless steel, it is a precious element like Gold and Platinum, that exists ALONE.
By the way, it is STEEL not STEAL unless you mean something else.............?
2006-09-01 07:53:00 · answer #3 · answered by Marty McFly 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Silver is Silver it is not steal! which ought to be STEEL in any case!
But besides that point silver does tarnish through oxidisation just the same as steel does when it is not stainless...
2006-09-01 07:40:50 · answer #4 · answered by hadley_banks78 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no. silver is a element , a metal but stainless steel is a completely different thing,its a alloy.
2006-09-01 08:06:44 · answer #5 · answered by ani 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Silver is silver. Steel is an alooy of iron and I don't know what else.
2006-09-01 07:52:11 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Silver is not steal and is prone to tarnish.
2006-09-01 07:41:04 · answer #7 · answered by turbietech 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At current prices compared to gold it is a steal!
2006-09-01 07:40:20 · answer #8 · answered by Gone fishin' 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
silver is a not a stainless 'STEAL'...
2006-09-01 07:40:23 · answer #9 · answered by Tnj_Indian 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
UNLESS ITS PLATED NO SIR
2006-09-01 07:36:37 · answer #10 · answered by GOTCHA! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋