Does Silver Bond With Other Elements?

By Staff WriterLast Updated April 03, 2020

Silver is one of the least reactive metals, only forming bonds with sulfur, nitrogen and the members of the halogen group. The halogens include chlorine, bromine, iodine, fluorine and astatine.

Silver nitrate is one of the most important silver salts, which contain three atoms of oxygen and one atom each of silver and nitrogen. Under normal circumstances, silver does not react with pure oxygen, but it does react with sulfur atoms in the air to form silver sulfide. Other silver salts include silver bromide, silver iodide and silver chloride, all of which play important roles in photography. Silver is the most maleable metal, and it conducts heat and electricity better than any other metal.