Dry Ice and Magnesium

We use magnesium and blocks of dry ice to show how a redox reaction occurs. A cavity in a block of dry ice is filled with coils of magnesium ribbon, which are set alight. A second block is then placed on top, but instead of this putting out the flames, the reaction intensifies as the magnesium strips oxygen from the dry ice and the block glows brightly. Chemistry - Reactions - Learning Points. Magnesium burns with a bright white light to give magnesium oxide. Carbon dioxide is used in fire extinguishers. Different types of fire extinguishers are needed for different types of fire. In a redox reaction, an oxidation reaction and a reduction reaction take place simultaneously. A Twig Experiment Film. Let students experience real experiments in lab conditions anywhere, from setup, method all the way through to analysis and real-world application.