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Magnesium: Flammable Cars?

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Atomic number: 12
Atomic weight: 24.305 amu
Classification
: Alkaline Earth Metal

Magnesium is can be a dangerously flammable metal; a piece of magnesium ribbon will catch on fire with a small match, and magnesium powder is explosive. Since small bits of magnesium burn very intensely, the metal is often used in flashbulbs and fireworks. Thankfully, larger chunks of magnesium don’t catch on fire easily, and are  used in racing cars, airplanes, and even bicycles. Don’t worry; it’s very unlikely that your bicycle wheels will catch on fire unless you literally ride into a fire pit. By the time you’re in the middle of a fire pit, it doesn’t matter much what your bike is made of anyway.

Other than possibly catching on fire, magnesium is great for practical applications because it is affordable, light, strong, and easy to work with.

On a different note, magnesium is used to address your bathroom struggles. When you consume a laxative to ease your constipation, make sure to thank magnesium.