Combustion of Magnesium

Hazards

Magnesium burns extremely bright. Do not look directly at the flame.

Chemicals and Solutions

Magnesium

Materials

  • Bunsen burner
  • Matches
  • Crystallization dish for magnesium
  • Tweezers

Procedure

  1. Hold the magnesium using tweezers, and light it in a bunsen burner.
  2. Add burnt Mg ribbon to crystallizing dish containing water and phenolphthalein. Indicator turns pink.

Discussion

\( \ce{ 2Mg_{(s)} + O2_{(g)} -> 2MgO_{(s)}  \Delta G^{{o}}_{Rxn} = -1139KJ/Mol } \)

\( \ce{ MgO + H2O -> Mg(OH)2   \Delta G^{{o}}_{Rxn} = -27KJ/Mol } \)