Answer
First magnesium is treated with concentrated nitric acid (redox reaction) to obtain magnesium nitrate.
$3Mg(s) + 8HNO_{3}(aq) -> 3Mg(NO_{3})_{2}(aq) + 4H_{2}O(l) + 2NO(g)$
The magnesium nitrate is recovered from solution by evaporation, dried, and heated in air to obtain magnesium dioxide.
$2Mg(NO_{3})_{2}(s) -> 2MgO(s) + 4NO_{2}(g) + O_{2}(g) $
Work Step by Step
First magnesium is treated with concentrated nitric acid (redox reaction) to obtain magnesium nitrate.
$3Mg(s) + 8HNO_{3}(aq) -> 3Mg(NO_{3})_{2}(aq) + 4H_{2}O(l) + 2NO(g)$
The magnesium nitrate is recovered from solution by evaporation, dried, and heated in air to obtain magnesium dioxide.
$2Mg(NO_{3})_{2}(s) -> 2MgO(s) + 4NO_{2}(g) + O_{2}(g) $
