Crete-MoneeHigh School

Our science club is an out-of-school-hours club that offers children the chance to do science-related activities that extend and enhance the science they experience in the classroom. The club program reflects the interests of the children, the club organizer and the facilities available. Most clubs use the opportunity to explore areas of science not covered by the curriculum and to give the club members plenty of opportunities to do practical science.

What experiment is Science Club member Jeremy Jones working on?

Burning of Magnesium:
When a piece of magnesium ribbon is ignited, light and heat are produced.

Purpose/Goal:
A quick demonstration which illustrates the concept of an exothermic reaction, as well as one that produces light energy.

Explanation of Experiment:
The oxidation or combustion of magnesium in air has long been used as a source of intense light in photography and for other photochemical reactions. The energy released in this combustion occurs as the magnesium reacts with oxygen in the air according to the equation:

2 Mg (s) + O2 (g) → 2 MgO (s)

The heat of formation of magnesium oxide is -601.83 kJ/mol. When magnesium burns, approximately 10% of the energy of combustion occurs as light, a value unapproached among known transformations of energy used in the production of light.