Why should magnesium ribbon is cleaned before burning in air?

Hint: Magnesium is a very reactive metal. When it is kept in the open air it can react with the gases present in the air. Cleaning will remove those impurities formed due to the reaction with air. – This high reactive nature of magnesium is the reason why magnesium ribbons should be cleaned before using it.

Why is the magnesium ribbon cleaned by rubbing?

Before burning in air, the magnesium ribbon is cleaned by rubbing with sandpaper. This is done to remove the protective layer of basic magnesium carbonate from the surface of the ribbon.

What is the purpose of cleaning the magnesium ribbon with steel wool?

If we want to burn a magnesium ribbon in an experiment, it has to be first cleaned with fine sandpaper or steel wool to remove all the oxide coating which may have been deposited on the ribbon by the reaction of magnesium with atmospheric oxygen.

Why magnesium ribbon should rubbed with sandpaper before its burning?

When exposed to air many metals will slowly react with oxygen in the atmosphere to form metal oxides. With magnesium, the oxide layer forms a white coating on the outer metal surface that will slow down or interfere with the burning process. The ribbons should be rubbed with a fine sandpaper to remove the layer.

What is the purpose of rubbing the magnesium ribbon with a sand paper before using it?

Before burning in air, the magnesium ribbon is cleaned by rubbing with sandpaper. This is done to remove the protective layer of basic magnesium carbonate ( Mg(CO3)2) from the surface of ribbon.

What is the purpose of sanding the magnesium ribbon at the start of the experiment?

What is the purpose of polishing the magnesium ribbon with emery paper or sandpaper?

Like rusting in case of iron, with magnesium, the oxide layer forms a white coating on the outside of the metal that will slow down or interfere with the burning process. Rubbing with sand paper helps to remove this oxide layer due to which burning speeds up.

What happens when burning magnesium ribbon?

When magnesium ribbon burns in oxygen, magnesium oxide is formed with the production of dazzling white light. After it burns, the white powder of magnesium oxide gets formed. Burning of magnesium is an exothermic process.

When magnesium ribbon is burnt in candle flame it burns with?

When the magnesium metal burns it reacts with oxygen found in the air to form Magnesium Oxide. A compound is a material in which atoms of different elements are bonded to one another. Oxygen and magnesium combine in a chemical reaction to form this compound.