Burning Magnesium - SCIENCE

🔥Burning Magnesium 🔥

Aim: I want to find out if burning magnesium will make it increase or decrease its weight.

Hypothesis: I predict the weight of the magnesium will stay the same.

Equipment:

- Magnesium Metal 

- Scale

- Beaker

- Bunsen Burner

- Scissor Tongs

- Heat Mat

- Lighter

- Tripod

- Paper 

- Safety Glasses

Some Pictures Of The Experiment:

Conclusion:

My hypothesis was incorrect. It was proven incorrect because the magnesium reacted with the oxygen increasing the weight, therefore the amount was higher.  

Discussion:

We took the elements magnesium and oxygen and reacted it to produce a compound, magnesium oxide:

Magnesium has an electron configuration of 2,8,2 and Oxygen has an electron configuration of 2,6. While doing this experiment we took 2 Mg atoms and one O₂ molecule to produce 2MgO though a *chemical reaction. Magnesium has two electrons in its outer shell and oxygen has 6. Magnesium wants to lose 2 electrons to be more stable and oxygen wants to gain electrons for the same reason. So magnesium wants to lose 2 electrons leaving us with 2+ extra positive charged electrons, an *ion, Mgᐩ². Oxygen wants to gain two electrons leaving us with 2- extra negative charged electrons, O-2. The positive two ( 2+ ) and the negative two ( 2- ) electrons are now electrostatically attracted to each other. 

*Chemical Reaction: Is transfer of electrons.

*Ion: An atom or a group of an atom that has an electrical charge.

Evaluation:

During the experiment, several things were changed and some things went wrong. Firstly we thought using paper was a good idea to catch the ash but later discovered that it was not. When we were burning the magnesium metal solid pieces of metal dropped on the paper and caught on fire which would change the result. So then the class changed it to a beaker and it was successful. Our group had some anomalies which were the final results. What should have occurred was the weight of the metal should have increased because the magnesium reacted with the oxygen making it heavier to produce magnesium oxide. But our groups results decreased and here are some reasons why?

- At the beginning when the metal was burning solid pieces dropped. We did pick them up and burned it into ash. This was one major reason why the result changed. Because tiny pieces were left behind. 

- Another reason why is small amounts must have got stuck to the tongs when we were burning it. 

- Lastly, very very small amounts of magnesium must have floated into the air as smoke. 

If my group was to do this experiment again we would handle the magnesium properly and make sure not to drop any. Carrying out this experiment has made me think about why did the magnesium spark bright white light when we were burning it. 

https://www.epsomsaltcouncil.org/health/treat-flu-boost-energy-with-magnesium/