Yes, silver can have oxygen, particularly within its structure.
While silver is not typically known for readily reacting with oxygen like some other metals (such as iron rusting), it does interact with oxygen, especially during its solidification process. The interaction is subtle but significant.
Oxygen Retention in Silver
Studies have shown that silver retains oxygen, particularly as it solidifies from a molten state. Here’s a breakdown:
- Dumas' Findings: Dumas discovered that silver retains oxygen on solidification. He extracted 57 cubic centimeters (c.c.) of oxygen from 1 kilogram of silver.
- Brauner's Contribution: Brauner’s research indicated that 0.04 volumes of gas are retained by silver during solidification.
- Richards and Wells' Results: Richards and Wells' experiments demonstrated that silver could retain 0.6 to 1.8 volumes of gas on solidification.
This means that when molten silver cools and becomes solid, a certain amount of oxygen gets trapped within its crystalline structure. The exact amount varies depending on the conditions of the process, but all studies point to the presence of retained oxygen in solid silver.
How Oxygen Interacts with Silver
Here's how oxygen interacts with silver:
- Solidification Process: Oxygen is absorbed by molten silver. During the transition from liquid to solid, this dissolved oxygen is retained within the newly formed metal's structure.
- No Direct Oxidation (Usually): Unlike some metals that react with oxygen to form oxides, silver does not generally undergo direct oxidation (like rust) in normal conditions.
- Trapped Oxygen: The oxygen is not chemically bonded to the silver in the same way an oxide would be. Instead, it's more like the oxygen is physically trapped within the silver’s lattice structure.
Summary
So, while silver is not highly reactive to oxygen in the way other metals are, it definitively retains oxygen, especially during solidification. Research by Dumas, Brauner, and Richards and Wells all confirm the presence of retained oxygen in solid silver. This oxygen is trapped within the metal's structure as it transitions from a liquid to a solid.
