Question

Aqueous magnesium chloride is not used to extract magnesium. Explain why.

Answer 1

Explanation: Magnesium chloride, MgCl2, dissolved in seawater, is an abundant, natural source of the very useful metal magnesium. Magnesium is a common component of alloys. Alloys are produced by combining a pure metal with one or more other elements to form a new substance with desirable properties. (Steel, for example, is a common alloy of iron and carbon.) Magnesium alloys are found in aircraft, automobiles, rockets, luggage frames, portable power tools, cameras, laptop computer casings and mobile phones.

Magnesium lends lightness and strength to alloys—a real plus for the owners of fuel-consuming vehicles, or travelers carting luggage. And magnesium alloy construction helps dampen the noise and vibration associated with the use of hand-held power tools, such as electric drills and nail-shooting guns.