12Solid
Mg 24.305 Atomic mass · uAlkaline earth metals
Magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray solid which bears a close physical resemblance to the other five elements in the second column (Group 2, or alkaline earth metals) of the periodic table:they each have the same electron configuration in their outer electron shell producing a similar crystal structure. Magnesium is the ninth most abundant element in the universe.
Discovery 1808 (Joseph Black)
K2L8M2
Physical properties
Values for the element in its standard state.
- Density
- 1.738g/cm³
- Melting point
- 923K
- Boiling point
- 1,363K
- Atomic radius
- 130pm
- Bonding type
- Metallic
- Molar heat
- 24.869J/(mol·K)
Inside the atom
Electron arrangement and the energy behind its behavior.
Full electron configuration
1s, 2 electrons; 2s, 2 electrons; 2p, 6 electrons; 3s, 2 electrons;
[Ne] represents 10 core electrons. The full view shows them explicitly.
12 electrons Orbital order preserved from source
- Electronegativity
- 1.31Pauling scale
- First ionization energy
- 738kJ/mol
- Electron affinity
- 0kJ/mol
- Van der Waals radius
- 173pm
Mg MagnesiumAtomic number 12
738kJ/mol
Atomic numberGaps indicate unavailable data
About magnesium
- Appearance
- Shiny grey solid
- Discovery
- 1808 (Joseph Black)
- Data source
- Read the reference
A missing value means it is unavailable in this reference dataset. Values can vary with measurement method and conditions.