MAGNESIUM By Natalie in 8th grade Science at Mill Valley Middle School "In many things magnesium lurks, you can even use it to make fireworks!"
	History and Uses Atomic Structure Properties and Sources Organic Magnesium Interesting Facts Bibliography and Links Glossary
HISTORY AND USES The element magnesium was discovered in 1808 by Sir Humphrey Davy. It was discovered in England and is named after Magnesia, an ancient city in Asia Minor. Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element in the earth's crust. It is found in the form of magnesite, dolomite, and other minerals but does not occur uncombined. Although recognizing that it was an element took a while, compounds of magnesium have been known for a long time. Magnesium is used in many things today. It is used in airplanes, missiles, pyrotechnics, flashlight photography, flashbulbs, fireplace bricks, and racing bikes. It is used in other things that need light metals because it is an alloy.
ATOMIC STRUCTURE Protons:12 Neutrons:12 Electrons:12 Mass Number:24 Atomic Symbol:Mg Atomic Number:12 Atomic Weight:24.305amu Electron Configuration: (Ne)3s2
PROPERTIES AND SOURCES Magnesium is a very light but tough metal. It is silvery-white, very flammable, and burns with a dazzling white flame. Certain isotopes of magnesium are radioactive but others are not. Density: 1.738 g/cm3 Group: Alkaline Earth Metals State: Solid Melting Point: 922K Boiling Point: 1378K Heat of Vaporization:127.40 kj/mole Reactivity: Very reactive Magnesium is usually obtained from melted magnesium chloride(MgCl2) by process of electrolysis. Magnesium chloride is mostly found in seawater.
ORGANIC MAGNESIUM Organic magnesium is essential in both plant and animal life. 0.05% of human body weight is magnesium and we consume about 300 mg per day. Magnesium is mostly in our bones and teeth and is present in most of our heart. the central atom of a chlorophyll structure is magnesium. Magnesium is a brain food like potassium and is said to be essential in the functioning of the brain and the spinal cord.
	INTERESTING FACTS 1. Black recognized that magnesium was an element in 1755 but it was not separated into a pure metal until done by Sir Humphrey Davy in 1808. 2. Photographers use the bright white light of burning magnesium to help them work in the dark. 3. The human body should consume about 300mg of magnesium daily. It is so important to our body that magnesium deficiency can have the same affect as alcoholism.
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND LINKS * Chemicool Periodic Table * Environmental Chemistry Periodic Table * Interactive Periodic Table of the Elements * Periodic Table * Periodic Table of the Elements * Web Elements Periodic Table * Chem4Kids.com IMAGES FOUND AT:
GLOSSARY pyrotechnics: The art of manufacturing or setting off fireworks. Also called pyrotechny. electrolysis:Chemical change, especially decomposition, produced in an electrolyte by an electric current. chlorophyll: Any of a group of green pigments that are found in the chloroplasts of plants. A large part of photosynthesis. alcoholism: A disorder characterized by the excessive consumption of and dependence on alcoholic beverages. magnesite: A white, yellowish, or brown mineral, magnesium carbonate, MgCO3, used in the manufacture of magnesium oxide and carbon dioxide. dolomite:A white or light-colored mineral, essentially CaMg(CO3)2, used in fertilizer, as a furnace refractory, and as a construction and ceramic material. A magnesia-rich sedimentary rock resembling limestone. radioactive, radioactivity: Spontaneous emission of radiation, either directly from unstable atomic nuclei or as a consequence of a nuclear reaction.