Magnesium: Chemical Properties, Uses of Magnesium

Quick Facts about Magnesium

Chemical Properties of Magnesium

What is Magnesium?

• Magnesium stands out as the most chemically active element.

• When water reaches its boiling point, magnesium replaces hydrogen, leading to the production of several metals through the thermal reduction of its salts and oxidized forms.

• Positioned in the second group of the periodic table, magnesium has been utilized for a century, primarily in bonded forms.

• However, it took the efforts of Chemist Sir Humphry Davy to purify and isolate the metal since it was naturally found bonded, causing a delay in its isolation.

• Labeled as the eighth most abundant element, magnesium constitutes about 2% of the Earth’s crust.

• In seawater, it reigns as the most plentiful element and is also discovered in underground brines and salty layers.

• Following aluminum and iron, magnesium claims the status of the third most abundant structural metal in the Earth’s crust.

• Magnesium occurs exclusively in nature when combined with other elements.

• Typically displaying an oxidation state of +2, magnesium can be artificially prepared, and numerous magnesium alloys find application for various purposes.

Physical Properties of Magnesium

• Shiny gray metal
• Low density
• Low melting point
• High chemical reactivity

Occurrence

• Found naturally only in combination with other elements
• Belongs to group 2 (alkaline earth metals) in the periodic table
• Typically has an oxidation state of +2

Reactivity

• Reacts readily with air, forming a thin passivation coating of magnesium oxide.
• This coating inhibits further corrosion of the metal.
• The free metal burns with a brilliant-white light.

Extraction

• Mainly obtained by electrolysis of magnesium salts from brine

Cosmic Origin

• Produced in large, aging stars by the sequential addition of three helium nuclei to a carbon nucleus
• Released into the interstellar medium during supernova explosions

Abundance on Earth

• Eighth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust.
• The fourth most common element in the Earth, making up 13% of the planet’s mass.
• The third most abundant element is dissolved in seawater, after sodium and chlorine.

Biological Importance

• Eleventh most abundant element by mass in the human body
• Essential to all cells and approximately 300 enzymes
• Magnesium ions interact with polyphosphate compounds such as ATP, DNA, and RNA
• Hundreds of enzymes require magnesium ions to function

Uses of Magnesium

Medicinal Uses

• Used in medicinal compounds such as laxatives and antacids (e.g., milk of magnesia)
• Utilized to stabilize abnormal nerve excitation or blood vessel spasm in conditions like eclampsia.

• Magnesium finds significant applications in the field of medicine, being utilized to treat various conditions such as skin-related problems, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and mania, and aiding in recovery after surgery.

• In terms of dietary sources, green leafy vegetables emerge as excellent providers of magnesium. Whole grains, seeds, and nuts, particularly almonds, also serve as noteworthy contributors to magnesium intake.

• Interestingly, magnesium is not limited to medicinal and dietary realms; it plays a role in photography as well. Flashbulbs contain magnesium, and when ignited, it produces a brilliant light. This luminosity assists photographers in capturing images in low-light conditions or even complete darkness.

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