Of course, an ordinary person does not need to determine the sample of silver at home very often. There are exceptions, though. If you doubt the authenticity of any of your silver items, or want to make a purchase, but are afraid to buy a fake, it is very important to know how the sample is correctly determined. So, read carefully. In fact, there is nothing difficult here.
It is necessary
Reagents for the determination of silver samples: chlorine gold, nitrate silver, chrompeak, filter paper or tissue
Instructions
Step 1
Use chlorine gold. This reagent is very widely used among jewelers and customs officials to determine gold, as well as the presence of precious metals in various alloys. The sample of silver using this reagent can be established only roughly, but this may be quite enough for initial diagnostics. So, first, the product must be prepared in advance. Thoroughly clean the surface of the silver, clean it of all dirt and grease and wipe with a dry cloth. Gently drip a drop of reagent onto the surface of the product. It instantly reacts with the metals in the alloy, so the color of the precipitate that falls in the drop can easily diagnose the metal and its sample. Silver of a high standard, when interacting with chlorine gold, instantly paints the drop in an ink color. Low samples also produce a darker hue, but at a lower intensity. If the color of the drop is yellow or brown - in front of you are aluminum or copper alloys.
Step 2
Check the sample of silver items using the silver nitrate reagent. This reagent should also be used on a well-brushed metal surface. After preliminary preparation, carefully apply a drop of silver nitrate on the item and carefully observe its color. Silver products of high standard - 750, 800, 875, 916 color the reagent in a light gray color. If you observe a white color of varying degrees of turbidity, then you have a low sample of silver.
Step 3
To determine the sample of silver at home, there is another reagent - potassium dichromate or Chrompeak. Its own color is bright orange. Use this reagent for the determination of silver 500 and above. Apply two or three drops of Chrompeak successively to the previously cleaned product, removing them with a tissue or filter paper. You shouldn't do it very quickly, but you don't need to wait long either. An interval of 1-2 seconds is sufficient. On silver, the fineness of which is up to 750, a light brown stain remains. If the silver fineness is above 750 - the spot will be red. And on products with a higher fineness, the brightness of the spot rises even more. 916 sample gives a bright red intense color of the reagent.
