Magnesium Nitride Formula

The chemical formula for magnesium nitride is Mg3N2. This means that each formula unit of magnesium nitride contains three atoms of magnesium and two atoms of nitrogen. The compound is formed through the reaction between magnesium metal and nitrogen gas, which results in the formation of a white, crystalline solid that is insoluble in water.

Magnesium nitride has a high melting point of approximately 2,122 degrees Celsius and a boiling point of around 3,000 degrees Celsius. It is also known to be highly reactive and can react violently with water or acids to produce ammonia gas.

In terms of its structure, magnesium nitride adopts a crystal lattice structure known as the anti-fluorite structure. This structure consists of an array of magnesium cations surrounded by eight nitride anions, and an array of nitride anions surrounded by four magnesium cations. The resulting structure is a 3D network of interconnected Mg-N tetrahedrons.

Magnesium nitride finds application in the production of specialty ceramics and as a source of nitrogen in fertilizers. It is also used as a reducing agent in various chemical reactions.