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Silver

Element 47 · Transition metal

Specimen

Atomic number
47
Atomic mass
107.868
State at room temperature
Solid
Melting point
961.8 °C
Boiling point
2,162 °C
Density
10.5 g/cm³
Discovered
Ancient

Physical data from PubChem.1

Can I eat it?

In food and water
Allowed in food. The EU allows metallic silver as the food color E 174. In 2025, EFSA could not conclude that it is safe, because data were missing. High intake of silver over a long time can turn the skin blue-gray (argyria). 23

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The atom

Ag
ShellElectrons
1 (K) 2
2 (L) 8
3 (M) 18
4 (N) 18
5 (O) outermost 1
Total47

Configuration [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s¹

4d ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓
5s ↑
A shell diagram: each ring is an electron shell and each dot is one electron. The nucleus holds 47 protons. The outermost shell is shown in red. Electrons do not travel on rings: they fill orbitals, regions where an electron is likely to be found. The boxes are those orbitals for the electrons outside the Kr core, with one arrow per electron.

Related elements

Group 11
Cu Copper Au Gold Rg Roentgenium

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Sources

  1. 1

    National Center for Biotechnology Information (PubChem), 2026. Periodic Table of Elements .

    Atomic mass, electron configuration, melting and boiling points, density and discovery year for all 118 elements.

  2. 2

    EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF), EFSA Journal, 2025. Follow-up of the re-evaluation of silver (E 174) as a food additive (EFSA-Q-2023-00169) .

    • Silver (E 174) is authorised for use as a food additive in the Union. ... the Panel could not conclude on the safety of the food additive silver E 174.
  3. 3

    Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 1990. ToxFAQs for Silver .

    • Exposure to high levels of silver for a long period of time may result in a condition called arygria, a blue-gray discoloration of the skin and other body tissues.