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Compare Magnesium vs Sodium

Comparing Magnesium (Mg) and Sodium (Na). Atomic numbers 12 and 11 with atomic masses 24.304 u and 22.99 u, classified as alkaline earth metal and alkali metal. Below: a side-by-side comparison of their physical, atomic, electron-configuration and historical properties, including density, melting and boiling points, ionization energies, oxidation states and discovery history.

vs
Mg
Magnesium
#12
Na
Sodium
#11

Periodic properties of the elements

MagnesiumSodium
SymbolMgNa
Atomic number1211
Group21
Period33
Blockss
Element categoryAlkaline Earth MetalAlkali Metal

Physical properties

MagnesiumSodium
Phase at STPSolidSolid
Density1.738 g/cm30.968 g/cm3
Atomic weight24.304 u22.9898 u
Melting point923 K
649.85 °C
1201.73 °F		370.944 K
97.794 °C
208.0292 °F
Boiling point1363 K
1089.85 °C
1993.73 °F		1156.09 K
882.94 °C
1621.292 °F

Atomic properties

MagnesiumSodium
Electronegativity (Pauling Scale)1.310.93
Electron affinity-40 kJ/mol52.867 kJ/mol
Oxidation states+1, +2
(a strongly basic oxide)		−1, +1
(a strongly basic oxide)
Ionization energies
  1. 737.7 kJ/mol
  2. 1450.7 kJ/mol
  3. 7732.7 kJ/mol
  4. 10542.5 kJ/mol
  5. 13630 kJ/mol
  6. 18020 kJ/mol
  7. 21711 kJ/mol
  8. 25661 kJ/mol
  9. 31653 kJ/mol
  10. 35458 kJ/mol
  11. 169988 kJ/mol
  12. 189368 kJ/mol
  1. 495.8 kJ/mol
  2. 4562 kJ/mol
  3. 6910.3 kJ/mol
  4. 9543 kJ/mol
  5. 13354 kJ/mol
  6. 16613 kJ/mol
  7. 20117 kJ/mol
  8. 25496 kJ/mol
  9. 28932 kJ/mol
  10. 141362 kJ/mol
  11. 159076 kJ/mol

Electron configuration

MagnesiumSodium
Shorthand configuration[Ne] 3s2 [Ne] 3s1
Full configuration1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1
Electrons per shell2, 8, 22, 8, 1

History

MagnesiumSodium
DiscoveryJoseph Black (1755)Humphry Davy (1807)
First isolationHumphry Davy (1808)Humphry Davy (1807)
Named byHumphry Davy (1812)
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