Question

A magnesium ribbon is burnt in oxygen to give a white compound X accompanied by the emission of light. If the burning ribbon is now placed in an atmosphere of nitrogen, it continues to burn and forms a compound Y.

Write a balanced chemical equation, when X is dissolved in water.

Answer 1

Reaction of Magnesium ribbon with oxygen:

• When magnesium ribbon is burnt in oxygen it produces magnesium oxide which is a white-colored compound.
• The chemical reaction can be depicted as:

$\underset{\mathrm{Magnesium}}{2\mathrm{Mg}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Oxygen}}{{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}\to \underset{\mathrm{Magnesium}\mathrm{oxide}}{2\mathrm{MgO}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}$

• Thus, compound X is Magnesium oxide.

Reaction of Magnesium oxide with water:

• When Magnesium oxide reacts with water, Magnesium hydroxide$\left(\mathrm{Mg}{\left(\mathrm{OH}\right)}_2\right)$ is formed.
• The chemical reaction can be depicted as:

$\underset{\mathrm{Magnesium}\mathrm{oxide}}{\mathrm{MgO}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}\to \underset{\mathrm{Magnesium}\mathrm{hydroxide}}{\mathrm{Mg}{\left(\mathrm{OH}\right)}_2\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}$