Home > Magnesium
1 Notable characteristics
Magnesium is a fairly strong, silvery-white, light-weight metal (one third lighter than aluminium) that slightly tarnishes when exposed to air. In a powder, this metal heats and ignites when exposed to air and burns with a white flame. It is difficult to ignite in bulk, though it is easy to light if it is shaved into thin strips. Once ignited, it is difficult to extinguish, being able to burn in both nitrogen (forming magnesium nitride), and carbon dioxide.
2 Uses
Magnesium compounds, primarily magnesium oxide, are used mainly as refractory material in furnace linings for producing iron and steel, nonferrous metals, glass, and cement. Magnesium oxide and other compounds also are used in agricultural, chemical, and construction industries. This element's principal use is as an alloying additive to aluminium with these aluminium-magnesium alloys being used mainly for beverage cans. Magnesium alloys also are used as structural components of automobiles and machinery. Another use of this metal is to aid the removal of sulfur from iron and steel.
Other uses include:
- Magnesium, like aluminium, is strong and light, so it is often used in high grade car wheels, called "mag wheels."
- photoengraved plates in the printing industry.
- Combined in alloys this metal is essential for airplane and missile construction.
- When used as an alloying agent, this metal improves the mechanical, fabrication, and welding characteristics of aluminium.
- Additive agent for conventional propellants and used in producing nodular graphite in cast iron.
- Reducing agent for the production of pure uranium and other metals from their salts.
- Its hydroxide is used in milk of magnesia, its chloride and sulfate in Epsom salts, and its citrates are used in medicine.
- Dead-burned magnesite is used for refractory purposes such as brick and liners in furnaces and converters.
- Magnesium is also flammable, burning at a temperature of approximately 4000°F.
- The extremely high temperature at which magnesium burns makes it a handy tool for starting emergency fires during outdoor recreation.
- Magnesium carbonate (Mg CO3) powder is also used by athletes, such as gymnasts and weightlifters, to improve the grip on objects—the apparatus or lifting bar.
- Other uses include flashlight photography, flares, and pyrotechnics, including incendiary bombs.
3 History
The name originates from the Greek word for a district in Thessaly called Magnesia.
Joseph Black in England recognized magnesium as being an element in 1755, Sir Humphrey Davey electrolytically isolated pure magnesium metal in 1808 from a mix of magnesia and Hg O and A. A. B. Bussy prepared it in coherent form in 1831. Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element in the earth's crust. It is an alkaline earth metal and therefore does not occur uncombined with other elements. It is found in large deposits of magnesite, dolomite, and other minerals.
