Magnesium Sulfate Formula – Structure, Properties, Uses, Sample Questions

Magnesium is a chemical that appears in gray solid. It is a mineral that’s crucial to the body’s function. It as symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It plays important role in over 300 enzyme reactions in the human body. It naturally presents in a variety of foods, also available as a supplement, ingredient in antacids and laxatives. Sulfate also Sulphate is ion, a salt of sulfuric acid with molar mass of 96.06 g/mol. Sulfate is soluble in water, divalent anion produced by the oxidation of elemental sulfur, organic sulfur. The empirical formula of sulfate is SO₄^2-. Epsom salt is MgSO₄· 7H₂O commonly found in its heptahydrate form. It’s a synthetic compound comprised of magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen. It gets its name from the town of Epsom in Surrey, England.

Magnesium Sulfate Formula 

The chemical formula of Magnesium sulfate is MgSO₄. Magnesium sulfate molecule is composed of a magnesium atom, a sulfur atom, and four oxygen atoms. Magnesium sulfate is also referred to as Epsom salt. It is an inorganic salt that exhibits high solubility in water and is insoluble in alcohol. It appears in a white crystalline solid with a molar mass of 120.366 g/mol. The formula of Magnesium sulfate is MgSO₄, as magnesium cation Mg²⁺ and sulfate anion SO₄^2-. It is also called bath salt, which is used to treat sore muscles. The molecular formula of Epsom salt is MgSO₄· 7H₂O commonly found in its heptahydrate form.

Structure of Magnesium Sulfate

An ionic bond act as a strong electrostatic attractive force between the magnesium ion and sulphate ion. The central sulfur atom is attached to four oxygen atoms through Atwo single, two double bonds. MgSO₄ adopts an orthorhombic crystalline structure.

Physical Properties of Magnesium Sulfate

1. It appears in white crystalline solid.
2. Magnesium sulfate is more soluble in water.
3. It is odorless but bitter in taste.
4. It as density of 2.66 g/cm³.
5. It as molar mass of 120.366 g/mol.
6. Temperature of water increases with its increase in solubility.
7. Its melting point is 1124˚C.

Chemical Properties of Magnesium Sulfate

Chemical properties of magnesium sulfate, chemical reactions to form magnesium sulfate with the action of sulfuric acid on magnesium oxide, 

MgO + H₂SO₄ ⇢ MgSO₄ + H₂O

On magnesium hydroxide and, 

Mg(OH)₂ + H₂SO₄ ⇢ MgSO₄ + 2H₂O

On magnesium carbonate, 

MgCO₃ + H₂SO₄ ⇢ MgSO₄ + CO₂ + H₂O

Uses of Magnesium Sulfate

1. It is used in production of beer as a brewing salt.
2. It increases the magnesium and sulfur richness in the soil.
3. It has many medical uses such as in bathing salts, muscle relaxants, beauty products.
4. It helps in pregnancy-related complications.
5. It can help prevent seizures associated with preeclampsia.
6. It acts as coagulant in making of tofu.

Safety Issues

High concentrations can cause a condition called hypermagnesemia. It releases fumes of sulfur oxides which are toxic and corrosive when it decomposes heated.

Sample Questions

Question 1: Is Epsom salt and magnesium sulfate something very similar?

Answer: 

Epsom salt is otherwise called magnesium sulfate. It’s a synthetic compound comprised of magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen. It gets its name from the town of Epsom in Surrey, England, where it was initially found. Regardless of its name, Epsom salt is something else altogether than table salt.

Question 2: Magnesium Sulfate hydrate as a Mineral?

Answer: 

MgSO₄ hydrates are found in practically completely known mineralogical structures. The regular simple of “Epsom salt” is epsomite. Meridianiite, MgSO₄.11H₂O, has been seen as on the outer layer of frozen lakes, and it is remembered to exist on Mars too. The following lower hydrate is hexahydrate. Pentahydrate, star keyite, and, particularly, sanderite, the following three lower hydrates, are phenomenal. Kieserite is a monohydrate that is found in evaporite stores in enormous amounts. Some consuming coal dumps have been found to contain anhydrous magnesium sulfate.

Question 3: Who shouldn’t accept magnesium sulfate?

Answer:

Try not to utilize magnesium sulfate as a diuretic without clinical counsel assuming you have: extreme stomach torment, sickness, regurgitating, a punctured gut, an inside hindrance, serious blockage, colitis, harmful megacolon, or an unexpected change in entrail propensities that has endured fourteen days or longer.

Question 4: What are advantages of magnesium glycinate?

Answer:

Magnesium glycinate has been displayed to have an assortment of advantages, including serving to:

• Relieve uneasiness.
• Advance bone wellbeing.
• Oversee glucose in individuals with diabetes and may bring down the gamble of creating type 2 diabetes.
• Keep up with ordinary heart rhythms.
• Lessen side effects of premenstrual condition (PMS).

Question 5: What is normal use for magnesium sulfate?

Answer: 

In medication as a mineral enhancement used to forestall and treat low measures of magnesium in the blood. A few brands are likewise used to treat side effects of a lot of stomach acid, for example, stomach upset, indigestion, and corrosive acid reflux.

Question 6: Magnesium sulfate injection side effects?

Answer: 

Side effects of magnesium sulfate injection include heart disturbances, breathing difficulties, poor reflexes, confusion, weakness, flushing, redness, or tingly feeling, sweating, lowered blood pressure.

Question 7: Where Magnesium sulfates are found?

Answer: 

Magnesium sulfates are universal minerals found in the earth crust. Most of their events are connected to supergene processes. Some of them are additionally key parts of deposits of evaporitic potassium-magnesium (K-Mg) salts.