Why does hydrochloric acid dissolve magnesium?

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Hydrochloric acid is a chemical solution and strong mineral acid consisting of hydrogen chloride and water, which is considered highly corrosive. This solution, historically, was called muriatic acid or spirits of salt and was produced from vitriol and common salt. It first appeared during the Renaissance period and was later used by a variety of famous chemists, such as Glauber, Priestly and Davy during their scientific research periods.

Magnesium, known as Mg on the periodic table, is an alkali earth metal and is found in the S-block of the periodic table. It forms two positive ions and is considered to be a very reactive metal. Upon simple heating, magnesium will burn with a brilliant white glow. Hydrogen chloride is an acid gas as are hydrogen halides. The halides are in the non-metals and appear on the P-block of the periodic table. Magnesium dissolves rapidly in hydrochloric acid. The reason for this reaction is based on the atomic structure of magnesium and chloride. According to the octet rule, during bonding, an atom will try and gain either outer shell electrons. Magnesium has only two electrons in its outer shell and it is easier for the magnesium atom to lose two electrons during bonding than to gain six electrons. Once magnesium loses its two electrons, it becomes a two-positive ion or a charged atom with a two positive charge. Chloride ions are ions or charged atoms with a one-negative charge. When magnesium dissolves when it encounters hydrochloric acid, it is the chloride ions that react with the magnesium to form magnesium chloride. This happens to the electrostatic forces of attraction, such that the charged positive ions will be attracted to charged negative ions if the force of the charges can be made equal (+ye attracts -ye). In this chemical reaction, the magnesium ion attracts two chloride ions. This can be expressed in the following chemical formula: Mg2 + 2Cl = MgCl2.

After the chloride ions and magnesium ions are bonded to form magnesium chloride, it is important to trace the electrons that were lost. This is when the hydrogen ion comes into play. The hydrogen ion has a one-positive charge and attracts the two electrons that were newly released from magnesium to form hydrogen gas, also known as H2 (H+ + 2e – 2 electrons – H2).

When magnesium is dissolved, there is no substance left that is charged and there are no escaped electrons from the system. The ionic bond is when ions are formed and attract each other. These ionic bonds usually occur when a metal like magnesium bonds with anon-metal like chloride, forming metal salts, such as magnesium chloride. The general rule is that metal + acid forms salt + hydrogen. The same principles apply when any metal is combined with an acid.

Magnesium chloride has a wide variety of uses that are important. It is considered by some to be the best salt for dissolving ice. When compared to calcium chloride or sodium chloride, magnesium chloride is found to corrode metal surfaces less, protect concrete better from spilling and is more environmentally safe. It is also generally less toxic than the other two chemical compound salts. In addition, magnesium chloride is an effective dust suppressant, containing half of the chlorides of competing products, brines quickly without wetting, and is commercially preferred in sensitive environmental areas like watersheds and wetland areas. It is also used to treat or prevent magnesium deficiency, or lack of natural magnesium in the human body. Magnesium is critical for the promotion of healthy muscles, nerves and bones; it is particularly important for ensuring cardiac stability and strength.

Resource by Will

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