Magnesium

Magnesium is available in several forms including chips, granules, powder, rod, foil, sheet, rod, turnings, and ribbon.

Magnesium is a grayish-white, fairly tough metal.

magnesium rods
Small and large samples of magnesium rod like this, as well as foil and sheet, (and magnesium alloy in foil form) can be purchased from Advent Research Materials via their web catalogue.

Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element in the earth's crust although not found in it's elemental form. It is a Group 2 element (Group IIA in older labelling schemes). Group 2 elements are called alkaline earth metals.

Magnesium tarnishes slightly in air, and finely divided magnesium readily ignites upon heating in air and burns with a dazzling white flame. Normally magnesium is coated with a layer of oxide, MgO, that protects magnesium from air and water.

Magnesium metal burns with a very bright light. The picture above shows the colour arising from adding magnesium powder to a burning mixture of potassium chlorate and sucrose. Do not attempt this reaction unless are a professionally qualified chemist and you have carried out a legally satisfactory hazard assessment.

Magnesium is an important element for plant and animal life. Chlorophylls are porphyrins based upon magnesium. The adult human daily requirement of magnesium is about 0.3 g day-1.