Silver exists as a monoatomic element, meaning its atomicity is 1.
Understanding Atomicity
Atomicity refers to the number of atoms that constitute a molecule. In simpler terms, it tells you how many atoms are found in a typical "unit" of a substance.
Silver's Monoatomic Nature
Silver (Ag) is a metallic element that, unlike many non-metals like oxygen (O₂) or nitrogen (N₂), doesn't naturally bond with itself to form molecules with multiple atoms. It exists as individual, independent atoms. This makes it monoatomic.
Examples of Atomicity
To further illustrate the concept, here are a few examples:
- Oxygen (O₂): Diatomic (atomicity = 2)
- Ozone (O₃): Triatomic (atomicity = 3)
- Helium (He): Monoatomic (atomicity = 1)
- Phosphorus (P₄): Tetratomic (atomicity = 4)
Why Silver is Monoatomic
The electronic configuration and metallic bonding characteristics of silver favor the existence of individual atoms in its stable state. The strong metallic bonds hold the silver atoms together in a lattice structure, but these are not covalent bonds between specific pairs or small groups of atoms as you'd see in a molecular substance.
In summary, silver is a monoatomic element, and its atomicity is 1 because it exists as individual silver atoms.
