Related uses and problems of magnesium sulfate
What is Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4)?
MgSO4 is an inorganic salt with the chemical name of magnesium sulfate. Also known as magnesium sulfate or anhydrous magnesium sulfate. It is often called Epsom salt. Magnesium sulfate is a crystalline solid, white in appearance and odorless. Mainly used as a bath to relieve muscle soreness and relieve pain such as sprains and bruises. It also helps to remove debris and is very effective.
Properties of Magnesium Sulfate – MgSO4
Molecular weight/molar mass: 120.366 g/mol; density anhydrous: 2.66 g/cm3; taste: bitter, brine; melting point: 1,124°C.
It should be noted that anhydrous magnesium sulfate will decompose at temperatures above 1124 degrees Celsius. Since MgSO4 is an ionic salt, it exhibits high solubility in water. It can also be noticed that the solubility of magnesium sulfate in water increases with increasing temperature. For example, the solubility of anhydrous MgSO4 in water at 0°C is 269 g/L. When the temperature was raised to 100°C, the solubility of this ionic salt in water nearly doubled to 502 grams per liter.
Magnesium sulfate is known to be a constituent of many double salts (ionic salts containing more than one cation or more than one anion). Commonly known double salts containing MgSO4 include potassium magnesium sulfate and sodium magnesium sulfate. Under standard temperature and pressure (STP) conditions, MgSO4 exists as a white crystalline solid without any characteristic odor.
The structure of the MgSO4 molecule
The structure of the magnesium sulfate molecule is shown below. Note that the MgSO4 molecule contains one Mg2+ cation (magnesium ion) and one SO42- anion (sulfate anion).
Magnesium Sulfate-MgSO4
An ionic bond is formed between the magnesium cation and the sulfate anion in magnesium sulfate. There are two sulfur-oxygen double bonds and two sulfur-oxygen single bonds in the sulfate anion. The oxygen atoms individually bonded to the sulfur atom each carry a negative charge on the order of -1. Therefore, the total charge of the sulfate anion is -2. The magnitude of the charge on the magnesium cation is +2. Therefore, the positive and negative charges in this ionic compound cancel each other out, forming a neutral-charged magnesium sulfate molecule. However, when the compound is dissolved in water and other polar solvents, the magnesium and sulfate ions dissociate.
