The pieces of magnesium can easily be replaced periodically at a cost much lower than that of replacing or repairing the steel. Protective strips of magnesium are also attached to the hulls of ships. Steel manufacturers add magnesium to steel to remove sulfur and other impurities. In addition, magnesium is used in fireworks and flares because it burns with a brilliant white light. It also produces intense heat when it burns, making it useful for incendiary bombs.
Magnesium combines with other elements to form many useful compounds.
Magnesium oxide resists heat and is used to line special types of furnaces. Also, magnesium oxide forms on the surface of magnesium metal and prevents it from corroding readily at low temperatures. If it were not for this protective layer, magnesium would not be a suitable structural material. Magnesium's chemical symbol is Mg. Its atomic number is 12, and its atomic weight is 24.3050.