Magnesium react with zinc oxide

Magnesium zinc it is formed but how

MgZn? Never heard of it.

It is like FePb, found in strange places.

Does Magnesium oxide preventt sunburned noses?

When magnesium reacts with zinc oxide (ZnO), a redox reaction takes place. Magnesium is a highly reactive metal and zinc oxide is a compound composed of zinc and oxygen. Here's how the reaction occurs:

1. First, we need to write the balanced chemical equation for the reaction:

2Mg + ZnO → 2MgO + Zn

2. Now, let's break down the reaction step by step:

a. A magnesium atom (Mg) has the tendency to lose two electrons and form a Mg2+ cation. This is because magnesium is located in Group 2 of the periodic table and has two valence electrons in its outermost shell.

b. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is an ionic compound consisting of a zinc cation (Zn2+) and an oxide anion (O2-). In ZnO, zinc loses two electrons, while oxygen gains two electrons to form an oxide ion.

c. When magnesium reacts with zinc oxide, each magnesium atom (Mg) donates two electrons to two zinc cations (Zn2+). As a result, the magnesium atoms are oxidized (they lose electrons) and the zinc cations are reduced (they gain electrons).

d. The donated electrons then pair up with the oxide anions (O2-) from the zinc oxide compound, which results in the formation of oxygen molecules (O2).

e. The magnesium cations (Mg2+) and the newly formed zinc metal (Zn) combine to form magnesium oxide (MgO) and zinc (Zn) as products of the reaction.

3. Overall, the reaction involves the transfer of electrons from magnesium to zinc cations, resulting in the formation of zinc metal and magnesium oxide.

It's important to note that this is a simplified explanation of the reaction. In reality, the reaction may involve additional steps and factors such as reaction rates, temperature, and catalysts.