Magnesium Facts for Kids

Magnesium Periodic Table
  • Name: Magnesium
  • Symbol: Mg
  • Atomic Number: 12
  • Atomic Weight: 24.305 u
  • Period: 3
  • Group: 2

28 Magnesium Facts for Kids

  1. Magnesium is a chemical element on the periodic table.
  2. Magnesium was discovered in 1755 by Scottish chemist Joseph Black.
  3. Magnesium was first isolated in 1808 by Cornish chemist Sir Humphry Davy using a mixture of magnesia and mercuric oxide via electrolysis.
  4. Magnesium is a solid at room temperature.
  5. Magnesium is a solid shiny gray metal.
  6. The symbol for magnesium is Mg.
  7. The atomic number for magnesium is 12.
  8. The standard atomic weight for Magnesium is 24.305 u.
  9. Magnesium is in the alkaline earth metal element category on the periodic table.
  10. Magnesium is a period 3 chemical element, which is the third row on the periodic table.
  11. Magnesium is a group 2 chemical element, which is the beryllium group.
  12. Magnesium has three stable isotopes.
  13. The three stable magnesium isotopes are 24Mg, 25Mg and 26Mg.
  14. The melting point for magnesium is 1,202 °F (650 °C).
  15. The boiling point for magnesium is 1,994 °F (1,091 °C).
  16. Magnesium is the ninth most abundant element found in the universe.
  17. Magnesium is the eight most abundant element found in the Earth’s crust.
  18. Magnesium is the eleventh most abundant element found in the human body (by mass).
  19. The magnesium compound magnesium sulfite is used to manufactory paper.
  20. The magnesium compound magnesium phosphate is used in fireproofing wood that is used to build manmade structures.
  21. Magnesium is an essential element that the human body needs to function properly.
  22. Hundreds of enzymes in the human body require magnesium ions to properly function.
  23. The recommend dietary allowance in the U.S. for magnesium is 400 milligrams for males between the ages of 19 and 30, and 310 milligrams for females between the ages of 19 and 30.
  24. Food sources rich in magnesium include cocoa, cereals, spices and vegetables.
  25. Magnesium is an essential element that plants need to produce energy.
  26. Plants synthesize chlorophyll for photosynthesis using magnesium.
  27. Magnesium produces a bright white light when burned, making it useful in flares and pyrotechnics.
  28. Magnesium is used in survival and emergency equipment to start fires, like a magnesium Firestarter.

Additional Resources on Magnesium

  • Magnesium – Find out more about magnesium on the Office Dietary Supplements website.
  • Magnesium in your Diet – Find out why magnesium is an important part of your diet on the MedlinePlus website.
  • The Element Magnesium – Discover more fun facts about magnesium on the Jefferson Labs website.
  • Facts About Magnesium – Read more cool facts about magnesium on the Live Science website.

About the author
Facts Editor

This is an author profile for articles that are created from a collaborative effort. It is not uncommon that articles on this site were either written, researched or fact checked by several authors and team members. So this author profile will be displayed to reflect that. Our team of editors, writers and fact checkers do extensive research before publishing articles on the site, and we do our best to provide the most accurate information possible.