| Description |
Silvery white, lustrous, relatively soft
metal. Obtained by electrolysis of fused MgCl2. Burns in air
and reacts with hot water. Used as bulk metal and in lightweight alloys
with magnesium for engines, also as a sacrificial electrode to protect
other metals. Diagnostic tests:
Moistened, after heating, with cobalt nitrate (CoNO3)and again ignited,
a pink color is obtained from some infusible compounds of magnesium.
Infusible magnesium minerals glow with exaggerated incandescence in the
flame test (along with Sr, Ca, Zr, Zn, Ce - the "lime light
effect").
In solution, (NH4)2SO4 and (NH4)2C2O4
will remove Ca and Ba as a precipitate. Decant the solution and add NH4OH
and Na2HPO4. A white precipitate (MgNH4PO4)
shows the presence of magnesium.
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