[scorpio_tkh]

Hi how would I go about explaining the reason why copper and gold are colored whereas silver is not??

Strange thing is that Cu, Ag and Au are all part of the same group in the Periodic table.

Did some research on the Net and I came up with energy differences in the d-orbitals that resulted in color, however, that does not explain why Ag is not colored. Would anyone like to help me on this issue??

Thanks in advance.

regards
scorpio_tkh

[vhpk]

No I think silver has the white color, if it is not colored you won't see it

[Dan]

Read this, http://www.wou.edu/las/physci/ch462/tmcolors.htm

[Goldfingers]

http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SR/gold_color.html

Try searching for "relativistic contraction" and "gold color" as well. I just picked up the first hit.

EDIT: Here is a better one about gold.

http://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/golden_glow/

You have to make a search on silver as well. The red of copper, white of silver and yellow of gold has nothing to do with crystal field or ligand field theory. You can probably find out more about this by checking out some cool book in atomic physics. Good luck.

[Dan]

The red of copper, white of silver and yellow of gold has nothing to do with crystal field or ligand field theory.

Yes, I hastily assumed this was a question about complex ions of group 11, my mistake.