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Surprised to learn that magnesium is lighter than aluminum. Is it also more expensive? There must be some reason people still mostly use aluminum.
by kibwen 3y ago
Surprised to learn that magnesium is lighter than aluminum. Is it also more expensive? There must be some reason people still mostly use aluminum.
- larperdoodle 3y agoQuick search says its about $1 more per kilo
- nick0garvey 3y agoAluminum alloys are also generally stronger than magnesium alloys.
- G3rn0ti 3y agoMagnesium is lighter than Aluminum because it is in the 2nd group of the periodic system to the left of Aluminum residing in the 3rd. The latter has got one additional proton and a couple of neutrons more.
- artimaeis 3y agoThere’s more to it than their atomic weights. Magnesium (24 amu) is ~66% the density of aluminum (27 amu). As I understand it, the crystalline structure of aluminum is more “tightly packed” than that of magnesium.
- coastermug 3y agoMagnesium is harder to machine. The chips produced can be highly flammable.