The oxidation number of silver (Ag) is commonly +1. This is because silver tends to lose one electron in its chemical reactions, resulting in the formation of silver ions (Ag+). In compounds, such as silver nitrate (AgNO3) or silver chloride (AgCl), silver displays this +1 oxidation state.
To understand why silver has this oxidation state, we look at its position in the periodic table. Silver is in Group 11, which also includes copper and gold. These metals often exhibit +1 oxidation states because they can easily lose their outermost electron. Although silver can have other oxidation states in rare situations, +1 is by far the most stable and prevalent in its chemistry.