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How to Tell Silver From Aluminum

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Silver is a beautiful metal that retains its value over time, making it a good investment. It is also antimicrobial, and many people use it to make medical dressings and bandages. It is an excellent conductor of both electricity and heat, and it can be found in electrical components like wiring harnesses or switchgear as well as medical equipment such as MRI scanners. It is also used to make mirrors for telescopes because it has the ability to better absorb light in the infrared spectrum than aluminum.

But, as much as silver has all of these amazing properties, it is also incredibly expensive to mine and process. This is why it’s important to know how to differentiate between silver and aluminum. While they may seem similar at a glance, there are telltale signs that can help you determine which is which.

The most obvious difference between the two is that silver is a white metal, while aluminum is gray. Other gray metals, such as copper-nickel alloys and stainless steel, can also look similar to silver. However, there is a distinct whiteness to silver that other metals can’t mimic.

There is a very simple way to clean tarnished silver, and it involves using water, aluminum foil, and baking soda. The article from Home Depot suggests lining a pot with the foil and filling it with boiling water, adding one tablespoon of baking soda to the solution. Next, add the silverware and allow it to sit in the solution for about 10 minutes. When finished, simply rinse and dry the silver and pour the used solution down the drain.