Magnesium + Nitrogen = Magnesium Nitride

When magnesium and nitrogen combine, they form a compound called magnesium nitride. This reaction is an example of a chemical synthesis reaction, where two or more elements or compounds combine to form a new compound.

The chemical equation for the reaction between magnesium and nitrogen can be represented as:

3Mg + N2 → Mg3N2

This indicates that three atoms of magnesium react with one molecule of nitrogen to form one molecule of magnesium nitride, which contains three atoms of magnesium and two atoms of nitrogen.

In this reaction, magnesium loses electrons to form magnesium ions with a +2 charge (Mg2+), while nitrogen gains electrons to form nitride ions with a -3 charge (N3-). The resulting compound, magnesium nitride, is an ionic compound consisting of Mg2+ and N3- ions held together by electrostatic forces.

Magnesium nitride has a high melting point and is insoluble in water. It is often used as a source of nitrogen in fertilizers and as a reagent in organic chemistry reactions.