As one of the most easily recognizable elements on the periodic table, Silver is not only one of the worlds first discovered elements, but it is also quite important. It has estimated to have been around since 3000 BC, where it was first mined in what is now known as Turkey. Silver, whose name was derived from the AngloSaxon word seolfor, has an atomic mass of about 107.9, its symbol is Ag (derived from the Latin word for silver, argentum), and it is the best conductor out of all the metals on the periodic table. It has quite the production history, too.
When silver was first discovered in Anatolia (modernday Turkey), it was a valuable resource for the nearby civilizations. As silver mining and production grew, it began to spread throughout to other countries in Europe. By 100 AD, Spain was the capital of silver production, and silver had easily become a key trading component along the Silk Road, though, the most important event in silver’s history would not occur for another 1400 years. The discovery of the New World in 1492 sent silver’s production rates higher than they had ever been before. As time passed, silver became more and more abundant, and by the 1870s, production had grown from 40 to 80 million ounces annually. In present day times, silver has increased exponentially, at around 461 million ounces per year.
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However, one of its more important uses is in the harnessing of solar energy. The silver is turned into a paste, and is put on the solar panels in a pattern of grids when they are built. Then the silver will interact with electrons that the solar panel forms from the photons of the sun. This forms an electric current, which can be harnessed to power buildings and recharge batteries. Though the uses of silver have been nothing but productive so far (i.e., killing werewolves), one use just does not seem to be working at
The global flow of silver effected the mid-sixteenth century to the early eighteenth century economically because silver made the world go round, socially because everyone was dependent on some sort of trade, and politically because silver was a high priority to important world powers. In this document based assignment, it would have been convenient to have a document about the opinion of either a Potosi Indian or a peasant from the commercial city of Hangzhou because both points of view would give further insight into the negative side of this time periods lust for silver, and how the insanity ruined lives.
During the period 1550-1800, the colonization of the Americas by European civilizations led to massive shifts in economic power from the West to East and vice-versa. An increase in global competition among western civilizations and against their asian counterparts drove Europeans to search for wealth elsewhere, and thus colonizing the Americas. One of the easiest ways to generate a profit, increase a civilizations wealth, and ultimately their military power was through the silver trade. In monopolizing said trade, Europe was able to establish a somewhat steady economic connection to the very wealthy Asian civilizations. However, european nations were struggling to keep control of the silver trade out of Asian hands, which caused major shifts
Before the Modern Era, international communication was not prevalent. Many factions were present between distant regions in the world, and regional trade flourished between lands that were close in proximity. Lands in the Americas or South America did not experience a strong connection to lands further east due to these gaps in communication. However, due to the emergence of silver, regional economies all combined to form one global economy. In this global economy, different, distant regions interacted through a common trade. Silver production, common from the 1500s to 1750, helped global interactions flourish. Different regions, specifically China and the Philippines, Spain and its colonies, and England collectively experienced shifts in their societies and economies through a combined need to interpose themselves in this global flow of silver, that was then expanded upon through different methods of gaining silver.
even more luxury products. They knew how to circulate the silver with the goods to get more
The creation of societies in the West resulted in the blossoming of three new industries: mining, ranching, and farming. Mining began at large with the discovery of gold in California in 1849 and continued with other discoveries and “rushes” later on; these rus...
desired good is the precious metal known as silver and the leading exporters of silver was
Our first goal in Project 7 was to determine what our three unknown solutions were. We did this through a series of tests. Our first test was a series of anion tests. We performed anion tests to determine whether any of the following anions were present in our solution: chloride, sulfate, nitrate, carbonate, and acetate. Our first solution, labeled as B, had only the chloride test come out positive. The next solution, C, tested positive for acetate, as did our last solution, E. We next performed anion tests. These included flame test, as well as an ammonium test. For the flame test, certain cations turn flames different colors, so we used this knowledge to test to see which cations could be present in our solutions. During this test, the only solution that appeared to turn the flame any color was solution C, which turned the flame bright orange, indicating the sodium ion was present. This led us to the conclusion that solution C was sodium acetate. We next performed an ammonium test, which involved mixing our solutions with sodium hydroxide, and smelling the resulting solution in order to detect an ammonia smell. Solution B was identified as smelling like ammonia, indicating the presence of the ammonium cation. From this, we identified solution B as ammonium chloride. We next checked the pH of all three of the solutions, first by using litmus paper. Solution C was slightly basic, solution E and B were both acidic, with a pH around 4. Since we knew that solution E had acetate, and was acidic, and did not turn the flame any color, we determined it was acetic acid, as none of the ions in acetic acid would turn a flame any color.
When Spaniards traveled west in the 16th century, they were able to find extensive amounts of silver in the Americas. At around the same time, the Japanese were also able to find great deposits of silver in their homelands as well. As such, the silver trade started, or as some may say, the start of global economy. With this trade, places like Europe that had little to offer to major civilizations were able to get more involved with trade being that they now could produce silver that was highly sought after. As it was in such high demands, especially in places like China, the global economy rose. Not only was silver used in making jewelry and weapons, it was also used as currency, however, it wasn’t just normal currency, it became currency that
On January 24, 1848, James Wilson Marshall made the discovery of gold in the foothills of Sierra Nevada Mountains near Coloma, California. The discovery by the American carpenter lead to the “greatest mass migration in the history of the United States, . . . (98).” Despite the efforts of keeping the news from leaking out to the public, the news rapidly spread out, and by mid-March a newspaper reported with obvious lack of credibility that gold was found at Sutter’s Mill. At first the people from town didn’t quite found credible such discovery for the lack of evidence, but on May 12, Samuel Brannan proved the scarcity of the resource wrong by show casting a bottle full of gold dust, from there on the beginning of the
I am going to discuss about the element known as gold in my assignment. To describe the element gold in simple terms, I can only say that it is an element (chemical element). This element is denoted by the symbol Au. It has an atomic number of seventy nine (79). I will describe quite a number of things concerning gold as an element. To begin with is:
Around the beginning of the sixteenth centruy, many countires had started to explore farther away and finding new territories. New products like sugar and taobacco began to emerge around the world in many places. Many countries in Europe were gaining power due to the control of colonies in the Americas. Asian countries did not explore as much, but still managed to remain large and powerful for a while. The global flow of silver had economic effects on inflating prices of goods and stimulating econimic policy of mercantilism, and social effects on negative effects on the lower class around the world during the mid-sixteenth century to the early eighteenth century.
Gold has been valued in our cultural history for as long as societies have been able to adopt this valuable metal’s unique properties. Gold is unique in its inherent marvellous glossy shine. Gold is particularly malleable, conducts electricity, doesn’t blemish and blends well with other metals. Because of these exclusive properties, gold creates its ways in our everyday life in many ways or form. Gold has always had remarkable significance, shown by most civilizations as a symbol of wealth and power. Gold has captivated most of cultures around the world and the passion for it brings to the extermination of some cultures and the growth in condition of others. This essay explores the use of gold over time and perception of the cultures that surround by gold.
relied on the influx of gold and silver from the New World. Spain was the first
One thing that the New World gave the Europeans was wealth beyond their imagination. Gold and silver mines in America, for about three hundred years, produced around ten times the amount compared to mines back home. And at rates like these, the Europeans couldn't resist. So, as a result, to mine it they used
Gold, nothing can compare to this precious metal. A symbol of wealth and prosperity, it has been a value for explorers and adventurers and a lure for conquerors. Today it is vital to commerce and finance; popular in ornamentation, and increasing importance in technology.