Electrolytes: Magnesium

Electrolyte is a scientific term for salts, specifically ions. The term electrolyte means that this ion is electrically-charged and moves to either a negative or positive electrode. Ions that move to the negative which are called cations are positively charged and Ions that move to the positive which are called anions are negatively charged. They can be divided into acids, bases, and salts, because they all give ions when dissolved in water. Electrolytes are present in the human body, and the balance of the electrolytes in our bodies is essential for normal function of our cells and our organs. Electrolytes are important because they are what your cells, especially nerve, heart and muscle use to maintain voltages across their cell membranes and to carry electrical impulses such as nerve impulses and muscle contractions across themselves and to other cells. The major electrolytes that are in our body are as follows: sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), chloride (Cl-), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), bicarbonate (HCO3-), phosphate (PO42-), sulfate (SO42-).
Sodium is an abundant metallic element which is an important mineral for all living organisms. It is also widely used industrially to make an assortment of consumer goods. In a pure form, sodium is a soft, silvery gray, highly reactive metal. Pure sodium is usually stored in a nonreactive substance, as it oxidizes rapidly when exposed to air, quickly forming a thick coating. The soft metal appears in an abundance of compounds, such as sodium chloride, better known as salt. It also exists in high concentrations in seawater, and it is among the 10 most abundant minerals in the Earth's crust. The chemical element of sodium is also highly explosive when exposed to moisture and water. It is the major positive ion in fluid outside of cells. Na+, the chemical notation for sodium is a reference to a Latin word natrium, used to refer to a specific type of salt. Sodium's atomic number is 11, placing it among other