Reflectivity of Silver

I can answer this question from the Astronomy hobby days.
Silver is the most reflective (around 99%) on the visible light
spectrum and reflects light evenly across the spectrum. Gold, on
the the other hand, reflects more red of the spectrum hinse the
color. Aluminum reflects around 89% of visible light fairly
evenly and is used on mirror surfaces in telescopes because is
does not tarnish.

Silver would be best but the tarnishing is a problem.

I read somewhere that silver returns more reflected light than any
metal. is it true?

I read somewhere that silver returns more reflected light than any
metal. is it true? 

Hello X,

Yes, it is true. Mark Grimwade’s “Introduction to Precious Metals”
(if you can get a copy , DO IT, great little book!) plots the
reflectivity of the various precious metals in terms of wavelength vs
reflectivity (in other words different colors vs amount reflected).

Silver outpaces all the others straight across the board. It varies
from around 80% at the shorter wavelengths to just under 100% at the
long end.

Gold starts really low, under 50% at the low end, but increases
rapidly --more so than any of the others-- to just under silver’s
marks, say 95%, at the long end.

Rhodium varies from 70% for the short to about 80% at the long end.

Platinum goes from 45% at the short end to about 70% at the long end.

Highly polished silver looks super bright and white-ish for a good
reason.

Introduction to Precious Metals
By Mark Grimwade

Price: $15.95

Media: Paperback
Manufacturer : Newnes
Release data : March, 1985

Cheers,
Trevor F.
in The City of Light