Chemisty of Magnesium

Magnesium is a group two element and is the eighth most common element in the earth's crust.  Magnesium is light, silvery-white, and tough. Like aluminum, it forms a thin layer around itself to help prevent itself from rusting when exposed to air. Fine particles of magnesium can also catch on fire when exposed to air.  Magnesium is essential in nutrition for animals and plants. It is also used as an alloy to combine with other metals to make them lighter and easier to weld, for purposes in the aerospace industry along with other industries. It is also used in medicine, in the forms of magnesium hydroxides, sulfates, chlorides, and citrates.

General Information

• Symbol: Mg
• Atomic Number: 12
• Atomic/Molar Mass: 24.31
• Melting Point: 648.8°C, 921.8K
• Boiling Point: 1090°C, 1363K
• Density:1.738 g/cc
• Oxidation states: +2
• Electron Shell Configuration: [Ne]3s²