Question

In contemporary mirror manufacture, what reflective material is most commonly applied to the back surface of the glass?

Answer

Originally, mirrors were produced from polished stones and metals such as gold and silver. In the 1500s, glass was combined with an amalgam of mercury and tinfoil. In the mid-1800s, a chemical process of depositing silver onto glass was developed. Today's modern mirrors are typically made of float glass with a thin backing layer of silver. The silver coating has a protective layer of copper film over it.