How many grams of oxygen is consumed to burn 3.6 g of magnesium?

Metallic magnesium is intensively oxidized by oxygen. The oxidation reaction is described by the following equation:

Mg + ½ O2 = MgO;

In this reaction, 1 oxygen atom is added to 1 magnesium atom and 1 magnesium oxide molecule is synthesized.

Let’s calculate the chemical amount of magnesium.

To do this, divide the available weight of magnesium by the weight of 1 mole of this substance.

M Mg = 24 grams / mol; N Mg = 3.6 / 24 = 0.15 mol;

To burn such an amount of magnesium, 2 times less chemical (molar) amount of oxygen is required.

Let’s find its weight.

Let’s multiply the amount of the substance by the weight of 1 mole of the substance.

M O2 = 16 x 2 = 32 grams / mol; m O2 = 0.15 / 2 x 32 = 2.4 grams;