The answer is nuanced. While visible light doesn't directly tarnish clean silver, it can indirectly contribute to the tarnishing process.
How Sunlight Indirectly Affects Silver
According to available information, sunlight's indirect effects stem from its interaction with the surrounding environment:
- Breaking Down Coatings: Sunlight can degrade protective coatings applied to silver items. This degradation exposes the silver to environmental pollutants.
- Accelerating Material Deterioration: Sunlight can speed up the breakdown of other materials nearby. These deteriorating materials release pollutants that can then tarnish the silver.
Visible light has not been reported to have a direct effect on the tarnishing of clean silver, but can have a strong indirect effect by breaking down coatings or accelerating the deterioration of materials in the vicinity, which then emit higher concentrations of a variety of pollutants.
In summary, sunlight itself doesn't directly tarnish silver, but by affecting the materials around it, it can create conditions that promote tarnishing.
