Is It Necessary To Clean A Magnesium Ribbon Before Burning It In The Air?
Why should a magnesium ribbon be cleaned before burning in the air?
Is It Necessary To Clean A Magnesium Ribbon Before Burning It In The Air
Magnesium belongs to group 2, i.e., the family of alkaline earth metals in the periodic table. It has 2 valence electrons and, thus, is highly reactive.
Being very reactive, it readily reacts with the gases present in the air. Thus, impurities form a layer on the surface of the ribbon.
While using magnesium ribbon in the lab, it is first cleaned using sandpaper. The sand paper is rubbed against the magnesium ribbon. This helps in removing the impurities and, hence, cleans the magnesium ribbon. It might give improper results if cleaning is not done, and it may sometimes not show any reaction if heavy impurities are deposited on the ribbon. Thus, it is always suggested to clean the magnesium ribbon or strip before use.
I hope this answer helps.
– Written by Manpreet
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