Silver is the whitest metallic element. It is rare, strong, corrosion-resistant and unaffected by moisture, vegetable acids or alkalis. Silver is also resonant, moldable, malleable and possesses the highest thermal and electric conductivity of any substance. The chemical symbol for silver is Ag, from the Latin Argentum, which means white and shining. Although silver does not react to many chemicals, it does react with sulfur, which is always present in the air, even in trace amounts. The reaction causes silver to tarnish, therefore, it must be polished periodically to retain its luster.

Silver possesses many special physical characteristics and qualities that make it useful in a variety of industries. The photography industry is the biggest user of silver compounds. Silver forms the most light-sensitive salts or halides, which are essential to developing high-quality photography. Silver has the highest electrical conductivity per unit volume of any metal, including copper, so it is used extensively in electronics. Specialized uses include switch and relay contacts for automobile controls and accessories, automotive window heating and in electrodes for electrocardiograms.

Silver is one of the strongest oxidants, making it an essential catalyst for the chemical process industry. It is used in the production of adhesives, dinnerware, mylar recording tape and many other products. Silver is the most reflective of all metals and is used to coat glass in mirrors. It is also used in x-ray vacuum tubes and as material for bearings. With the highest level of thermal conductivity among metals and resistance to combustion and sparks, silver is a valuable material for a range of other industrial processes. The most common consumer application of silver is its use in jewellery. Pure silver, which would be too soft to be durable, is mixed with 5-20% copper in an alloy known as sterling silver.

Today, a very small percentage of the world's silver is used in coinage, though silver coins were a popular form of currency until the recent past. As industrialized nations began to produce large numbers of silver coins in the twentieth century, silver became less available and therefore more expensive.