The lightweight among basic materials

摘要

As a mineral, it is an insider's tip against a hangover, since magnesium taken promptly after a night of too much drinking will soothe most aching heads. In fact, this is one material on which the human organism greatly depends: the roughly 25 grams of magnesium found in an adult body is essential to more than 300 biochemical reactions, among them muscle and nerve functions, keeping the heartbeat stable, and strengthening bones. In medicine, magnesium has been known for several centuries, with such compounds as Epsom salts being used as a traditional cure. About 250 years ago, the British chemist Joseph Black also discovered the metal's elementary character, with magnesium later being given the atomic number 12 in the periodic table and shortly thereafter the abbreviation Mg.