In complete sentences, explain 4 characteristics for the element Magnesium (Mg).

Question

You may pick 4 of any of the following characteristics to include in your answer:

Atomic Number
Number of Electron Shells
Which element (or elements) have the same number of Valence Electrons
The type of element it is (use key at the bottom of the Periodic Table)
Group Number
An element (or elements) from the same Group Number
Period Number
Number of protons, neutrons, and electrons


(4 points)

Answer 1

1) Magnesium has an atomic number of 12, which means it has 12 protons in its nucleus.
2) It has two electron shells, with the first shell containing 2 electrons and the second shell containing 8 electrons.
3) Magnesium belongs to Group 2 on the periodic table, making it an alkaline earth metal.
4) It has 2 valence electrons, which is the same as other elements in Group 2 such as calcium and strontium.