In complete sentences, explain 4 characteristics for the element Magnesium (Mg).



You may pick 4 of any of the following characteristics to include in your answer:

Atomic Number
Number of Electron Shells
Which element (or elements) have the same number of Valence Electrons
The type of element it is (use key at the bottom of the Periodic Table)
Group Number
An element (or elements) from the same Group Number
Period Number
Number of protons, neutrons, and electrons


(4 points)

1) Magnesium has an atomic number of 12, which means it has 12 protons in its nucleus.

2) It has two electron shells, with the first shell containing 2 electrons and the second shell containing 8 electrons.
3) Magnesium belongs to Group 2 on the periodic table, making it an alkaline earth metal.
4) It has 2 valence electrons, which is the same as other elements in Group 2 such as calcium and strontium.

1. Magnesium (Mg) has an atomic number of 12, indicating that it has 12 protons in its nucleus and 12 electrons orbiting around it.

2. It has 3 electron shells, with electrons filling the first shell completely (2 electrons) and the second shell partially (8 electrons), leaving 2 valence electrons in the third shell.

3. Magnesium belongs to the alkaline earth metals (Group 2) on the periodic table. Other elements in this group also have 2 valence electrons, including beryllium (Be), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), and barium (Ba).

4. In terms of its group number, magnesium is located in Group 2. Elements within the same group exhibit similar chemical properties, due to the identical number of valence electrons. Some examples of elements in Group 2 are beryllium (Be), calcium (Ca), and radium (Ra).

Magnesium (Mg) is an element with atomic number 12. It is located in Group 2 of the Periodic Table, which classifies it as an alkaline earth metal. Magnesium has two electron shells, and it belongs to period 3. It has 12 protons, 12 neutrons, and 12 electrons.

In terms of valence electrons, magnesium has 2. Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost energy level of an atom, which are responsible for the chemical properties and reactions of the element. Magnesium's valence electron configuration is 2-8-2, which means it has two electrons in the first energy level, eight electrons in the second energy level, and two electrons in the outermost energy level.

The number of valence electrons is important because it determines the chemical behavior of an element. Elements in the same group on the Periodic Table have the same number of valence electrons and often exhibit similar chemical properties. In the case of magnesium, it shares the same number of valence electrons (2) with other elements in Group 2, such as beryllium (Be), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), and barium (Ba). This similarity in valence electrons allows magnesium to form similar types of compounds and engage in similar chemical reactions as these elements within Group 2.