Question

When a magnesium ribbon burns in air with a dazzling flame and forms a white ash, is magnesium oxidised or reduced? Why?

Answer 1

“Magnesium is oxidised because it gains oxygen during burning to form magnesium oxide.”

\[\ce{\underset{Magnesium}{2Mg_{(s)}} + \underset{Oxygen}{O2_{(g)}} ->[Burning] \underset{Magnesium oxide}{2MgO_{{(s)}}}}\]