Magnesium Oxide
Magnesium oxide (MgO) is a white, odorless solid mineral compound consisting of magnesium and oxygen. It is commonly found in nature as the mineral periclase. Magnesium oxide is produced by the thermal decomposition of magnesium carbonate or magnesium hydroxide.
The following table provides a comprehensive list of magnesium oxide properties in both SI and US customary/Imperial units at normal temperature and pressure (NTP).
Note: click on the icon to switch between Metric and Imperial units.
| Physical Properties | Metric |
|---|---|
| Chemical Formula | MgO |
| Molar Mass | 40.304 g/mol |
| Density | 3580 kg/m3 |
| Mechanical Properties | Metric |
| Mohs Hardness | 5 |
| Thermal Properties | Metric |
| Melting Point | 2850 °C |
| Boiling Point | 3600 °C |
| Thermal Conductivity | 50 - 75 W/m·K |
| Specific Heat Capacity (Cp) | 962 J/kg·K |
| Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (αL) | 1.15×10-5 1/°C |
| Electrical Properties | Metric |
| Relative Permittivity (εr) | 8.2 - 20 |
| Magnetic Susceptibility | -0.0000102 cm3/mol |
| Optical Properties | Metric |
| Refractive Index (589 nm) | 1.7355 |
Note: unless stated otherwise, all values are taken at room temperature (approximately 20°C or 68°F) and 1 atm pressure. (1 atm = 101,325 Pa)
Related Pages
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th Edition. United Kingdom: CRC Press, 2016-2017.