Mg2+
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They form an ionic compound.
Magnesium can form a positive ion. When magnesium loses electrons, it forms a Mg2+ ion with a positive charge. Carbon, oxygen, and bromine typically form negative ions by gaining electrons.
Magnesium typically forms Mg2+ ions, while sulfur typically forms S2- ions. When magnesium and sulfur combine in a compound, they usually form magnesium sulfide (MgS), in which magnesium has a 2+ charge and sulfur has a 2- charge.
A magnesium atom will lose two electrons to achieve a stable octet configuration, forming a Mg2+ ion. A chlorine atom will gain one electron to achieve a stable octet configuration, forming a Cl- ion. When magnesium and chlorine react, magnesium will transfer electrons to chlorine, resulting in the formation of the ionic compound magnesium chloride.
The symbol for a magnesium ion is Mg^2+. The superscript 2+ indicates that the magnesium ion has a positive charge of 2.