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Silver Glossary

Alkaline
Another word for basic (as in, "acid and base"), alkaline describes the condition of materials with a pH over 7. Alkaline substances react with acids. Human blood is a mild alkaline substance that is typically in the range of 7.35 to 7.45. 

Aquasol
See sol (re: colloid). 

Argyria
A condition where areas of the skin and other body tissues turn to a grey or blue-grey colour. This can be caused by silver coming out of suspension and settling into fats, which is possible with silver salts and silver proteins.  As this website does not provide medical advice or diagnosis, please consult with your doctor with any questions. 

Biophysics
An interdisciplinary approach to studying biology that includes theories and methods from physics. Analogous to biochemistry, which studies biology through the lens of chemistry, biophysics is a growing field that seeks to solve biological questions using the paradigm of physics. 

Colloid
A colloid is a particle between 1 and 0.001 micrometers in diameter that is evenly dispersed throughout another substance. A colloidal system may be liquid, solid, or gaseous. Examples of colloidal substances include whipped cream, styrofoam, fog, milk, smoke, and blood. To learn more about colloids, see this infographic:


(click to view)

Colloidal silver
A colloidal system with small particles (colloids) of silver evenly dispersed within a liquid, typically water. Colloidal silver has been produced in a wide variety of forms for over 100 years, with variations in concentration, purity, stability, colloid size, etc. These variations result in vastly different substances that are commonly referred to under the general term "colloidal silver." 

The limitation of this generalized term is exemplified by examining a similar generalized term: "car." If one uses the word "car" in conversation, is one referring to a sedan, a sports coupe, a large luxury car, or a tiny hatchback? Does it refer to a car from 1920, 1957, 1975, or 2020? A Ford, Datsun, Toyota, Tata, or Maserati? Thus, as a general term, "car" is quite effective in everyday use, but more specific terms are needed (eg. "2014 Lexus GS 350 F Sport RWD") in other contexts. Similarly, "colloidal silver" is a useful term in some contexts, but limiting in situations where the differences between older and newer technologies are important. 

Emulsion (re: colloid)
An emulsion is a substance where pockets of one liquid are trapped within another liquid. If these pockets of trapped liquid are very small (1 to 0.001 micrometers in diameter), the emulsion is a colloidal system. 

Foam (re: colloid)
A foam is substance where pockets of gas are trapped within a liquid or a solid. If these pockets of gas are very small (1 to 0.001 micrometers in diameter), the foam is a colloidal system. 

Herxheimer reaction
Also known as "Jarish-Herxheimer Reaction", "yeast die-off", "detox reaction", and "healing crisis", this can happen when healing outpaces the body's ability to excrete the toxins released by dying yeast and pathogenic bacteria. This can cause short-term headache, fatigue, and mild flu symptoms while the excretion process is completed. As this website does not provide medical advice or diagnosis, please consult with your doctor with any questions. 

Hydrocolloid
A colloidal system where the colloid is evenly dispersed within water. Hydrocolloids can be a foam, emulsion, or sol, depending on whether the colloid dispersed within water is a gas, liquid, or solid. 

Hydrosol
See sol (re: colloid). 

Ion
An atom or molecule with an unequal number of electrons and protons. As a result, an ion has a net positive or negative charge. If the ion has a negative charge (it has more electrons than protons), it is called an anion. If the ion has a positive charge (it has fewer electrons than protons), it is called a cation. 

Ionic silver
The state of silver in an ionic form, ionic silver is commonly found within creams and liquids. Prior to the advent of digital photography, ionic silver was in widespread use as one of the chemicals employed to process film. 

Ordered water
See structured water. 

pH
pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance, based on the activity of hydrogen ions. pH has been defined as shorthand for "potential Hydrogen", "power Hydrogen", and other definitions of "p". Measured on a 14 point scale, a pH of 0 is very acidic, a pH of 7 is neutral, and a pH of 14 is very basic or alkaline. 

ppm
Shorthand for "parts per million", ppm is a common notation for describing the relative abundance of a dissolved mineral within water. It is typically determined by the mass of the dissolved material compared with the mass of the water.

The unit ppm is typically used to measure concentrations so small it is difficult to intuitively grasp what these values mean. To place 10 ppm in context, this ppm infographic compares 10 ppm silver solution with fresh water, bottled water, and other familiar forms of water:


(click to view)

For alternate illustrative purposes, if time were measured in ppm, 10 ppm would translate into 5 or 6 minutes within a year. 

Silver
The 47th element on the Periodic Table of the Elements, Silver is a transition metal that bears the chemical symbol "Ag" in reference to its Latin name, Argentium. It has been known to humans since ancient times. 

Silver has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any element. It has numerous industrial and electrical uses, but is also used in jewelry, tableware, and as a monetary instrument. 

Silver is solid at room temperature, with a melting point of 1235°K and 2485°K. Silver's density is 10.5 g/cc. Its atomic radius is 144 pm and its atomic volume is 10.3 cc/mol. 

To learn more about silver, see this infographic:


(click to view)

Silver nitrate
Silver nitrate is a common and inexpensive salt of silver. It dissolves into many solvents, including water. Silver nitrate is NOT the same as Thank You Structured Silver. For more information, click here.

Silver protein
Silver protein is a combination of silver with a protein binder. Silver protein is NOT the same as Thank You Structured Silver. Silver proteins can cause argyria. 

Silver salts
Silver salts are chemical compounds that contain silver in combination with a range of additional elements. Thank You Structured Silver is NOT a silver salt. Silver itself is not toxic, but many silver salts are. Silver salts can cause argyria. 

Silver solution
Silver solution is a general term that broadly describes a solution containing silver. More precise terms are helpful when distinguishing silver solutions from one another, as variations in the solute and the solvent greatly affect the character of the solution. "Silver solution" in common speech typically refers to water mixed with a very low concentration of silver, but technically a solution can be a solid, liquid, or gas.

Sol (re: colloid)
A sol is substance where particles of a solid material are evenly mixed within a liquid and these particles are very small (1 to 0.001 micrometers in diameter.) A sol is a colloidal system. 

If the liquid in this system is water, the sol may also be called a hydrosol or aquasol. Some silver products marketed as silver hydrosol or silver aquasol are named after their colloidal system, which contains a sol (silver) dispersed within a liquid (water.)

Structured silver solution
A unique combination of silver and water with characteristics and a manufacturing method unlike any other silver product.

Structured water
Water in which the molecules exhibit a non-randomized alignment or order. A complicated topic to say the least, structured water is described by some as amazing and by others as hogwash. For an external introduction to these topics, click here.