What are the products of the reaction between hydrochloric acid and magnesium?

When hydrochloric acid reacts with magnesium, the primary products formed are hydrogen gas and magnesium chloride. The chemical reaction can be represented by the equation:

[ \text{Mg} + 2\text{HCl} \rightarrow \text{MgCl}_2 + \text{H}_2 ]

In this reaction, magnesium (Mg) displaces hydrogen from hydrochloric acid (HCl), resulting in the formation of magnesium chloride (MgCl₂) in the aqueous state and hydrogen gas (H₂), which is released as a bubble during the process.

The formation of magnesium chloride is a key aspect here, as it is a soluble ionic compound resulting from the combination of magnesium ions and chloride ions. The hydrogen gas produced can be observed as effervescence, a visible sign of the reaction taking place.

Other options mention incorrectly paired products. For example, magnesium oxide would not form in this reaction since it would typically require the presence of oxygen rather than hydrochloric acid. Similarly, magnesium sulfate is a product associated with sulfuric acid rather than hydrochloric acid. Lastly, while oxygen is involved in various other reactions, it is not produced in the reaction between magnesium and hydrochloric acid. Thus, the reaction yields hydrogen gas and magnesium chloride