• Question: what is your opinion on magnesium?

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      Asked by 336newg39 to Aoife, Conor, Louise, Matthew on 17 Nov 2016.
      • Photo: Louise Mc Grath

        Louise Mc Grath answered on 17 Nov 2016:

        Hi 336newg39!

        Well magnesium is a pretty bad ass element! The reason I say this is because it is used in the manufacture of cars, airplanes, missles. Generally magnesium is mixed with other metals to form an alloy which is strong and light.

        Another reason I like magnesium is because when you burn magnesium it burns with an intense white light! My chemistry teacher once showed it to us, and boy was it bright! Fun fact magnesium is actually used in stun grenades (the ones that disorientate you) because it burns so bright! Here is a video showing how bright it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-W9EFiB74o

        It is an element our body can’t live without as it helps us maintain good health. It is used to make proteins, strong bones, and to regulate the body’s temperature.

        So it is a pretty cool element alright! If you want to read up more about it, I recommend checking this website out: http://www.ducksters.com/science/chemistry/magnesium.php

      • Photo: Aoife Lucid

        Aoife Lucid answered on 17 Nov 2016:

        I like magnesium (Mg), I actually use it in some of my materials for clean energy devices so I’m a big fan.

        Like Louise already said it has lots of uses too, the brightness that Mg burns at actually means that it gets used a lot in the production of fireworks which is pretty cool in my opinion.

      • Photo: Matthew Kitching

        Matthew Kitching answered on 18 Nov 2016:

        He 336newg39

        sorry for the late reply – I’ve been having problems with the website 🙁

        Magnesium eh? Yeah – its pretty awesomo really – louise and aoife have given you lots of the uses! but heres two more!

        Because it burns so bright and hot – you can use it for the fuse in the Thermite reaction – a reaction so hot it can melt steel and brick. the reaction its self is between iron and aluminium oxide – but you need a littttttttttttttle bit of magnesium to get it started 🙂

        Perhaps the most important use of magnesium – is in plants. Have you heard of a molecule called chlorophyll? Its the chemical plants use to get energy from the sun by photosynthesis! Its a big, flat chemical thats shaped like a donut and in the middle where the hole is sits a metal atom…. can you guess which one? Yep your right – magnesium! Without that metal atom there – it doesn’t work!!!!!

        So without magnesium we wouldn’t have most of the plants and animals we see in the world today – even we would be able to exist!

        Magnesium is a pretty important chemical!

        hope that answers your question – let me know if you want to know more 🙂

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