19 Facts About Magnesium

Magnesium occurs naturally only in combination with other elements, where it almost always has a +2 oxidation state.

Magnesium is less dense than aluminium, and the alloy of the two is prized for its combination of lightness and strength.

Magnesium ions interact with polyphosphate compounds such as ATP, DNA, and RNA.

Magnesium reacts with water at room temperature, though it reacts much more slowly than calcium, a similar group 2 metal.

Magnesium reacts exothermically with most acids such as hydrochloric acid, producing the metal chloride and hydrogen gas, similar to the HCl reaction with aluminium, zinc, and many other metals.

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Magnesium is highly flammable, especially when powdered or shaved into thin strips, though it is difficult to ignite in mass or bulk.

Magnesium powder was used for subject illumination in the early days of photography.

Magnesium powder is used in fireworks and marine flares where a brilliant white light is required.

Magnesium is the eighth-most-abundant element in the Earth's crust by mass and tied in seventh place with iron in molarity.

Magnesium hydroxide is insoluble in water and can be filtered out and reacted with hydrochloric acid to produced concentrated magnesium chloride.

Magnesium used electrolysis on a mixture of magnesia and mercuric oxide.

Magnesium is the third-most-commonly-used structural metal, following iron and aluminium.

Magnesium, being readily available and relatively nontoxic, has a variety of uses:.

Magnesium is capable of reducing water and releasing highly flammable hydrogen gas:.

Magnesium reacts with carbon dioxide exothermically to form magnesium oxide and carbon:.

Magnesium hydride is under investigation as a way to store hydrogen.

Magnesium reacted with an alkyl halide gives a Grignard reagent, which is a very useful tool for preparing alcohols.

Magnesium salts are included in various foods, fertilizers, and microbe culture media.

Magnesium phosphate is used to fireproof wood used in construction.