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Compare Sodium vs Magnesium

Comparing Sodium (Na) and Magnesium (Mg). Atomic numbers 11 and 12 with atomic masses 22.99 u and 24.304 u, classified as alkali metal and alkaline earth 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
Na
Sodium
#11
Mg
Magnesium
#12

Periodic properties of the elements

SodiumMagnesium
SymbolNaMg
Atomic number1112
Group12
Period33
Blockss
Element categoryAlkali MetalAlkaline Earth Metal

Physical properties

SodiumMagnesium
Phase at STPSolidSolid
Density0.968 g/cm31.738 g/cm3
Atomic weight22.9898 u24.304 u
Melting point370.944 K
97.794 °C
208.0292 °F		923 K
649.85 °C
1201.73 °F
Boiling point1156.09 K
882.94 °C
1621.292 °F		1363 K
1089.85 °C
1993.73 °F

Atomic properties

SodiumMagnesium
Electronegativity (Pauling Scale)0.931.31
Electron affinity52.867 kJ/mol-40 kJ/mol
Oxidation states−1, +1
(a strongly basic oxide)		+1, +2
(a strongly basic oxide)
Ionization energies
  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
  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

Electron configuration

SodiumMagnesium
Shorthand configuration[Ne] 3s1 [Ne] 3s2
Full configuration1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2
Electrons per shell2, 8, 12, 8, 2

History

SodiumMagnesium
DiscoveryHumphry Davy (1807)Joseph Black (1755)
First isolationHumphry Davy (1807)Humphry Davy (1808)
Named byHumphry Davy (1812)
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