Why Should Magnesium Ribbon Be Cleaned Before Burning in Air?

By K Balaji|Updated : November 9th, 2022

Before burning in the air, magnesium ribbon needs to be cleaned because the coating of magnesium oxide that forms on it as a result of the reaction of magnesium with air slowing or obstructing the burning process needs to be removed. In order to get the necessary chemical reaction, it is cleansed. i.e 2Mg + O2 → 2MgO

Magnesium

  • The most reactive element chemically is magnesium. Magnesium replaces hydrogen in boiling water, and by thermally reducing hydrogen's salts and oxidised forms with magnesium, several metals can be created. Magnesium can be found in the periodic table's second group. Since a century ago, we have been employing magnesium in bound form. It wasn't until Sir Humphry Davy, a chemist, isolated and purified the metal. Magnesium was difficult to separate because it was found in nature bound together.
  • Magnesium is ranked as the eighth most common element and makes up around 2% of the earth's crust. It is the most prevalent element in seawater. Salty layers and subsurface brines are where you can find it. Magnesium is the third most prevalent structural metal in the earth's crust, behind iron and aluminium.
  • Magnesium does not exist naturally alone; it is always coupled with other elements. Mg typically exists in the oxidation state +2. Magnesium may be synthesised, and numerous magnesium alloys are utilised for a variety of tasks.

Summary:-

Why Should Magnesium Ribbon Be Cleaned Before Burning in Air?

Magnesium ribbon should be cleaned before burning in air as the magnesium oxide layer is formed on ribbon because of the magnesium reaction with air reducing or interfering in the process of burning

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