Final answer:
Magnesium (Mg) and chlorine gas (Cl₂) are the correct reactants for the chemical reaction that produces magnesium chloride (MgCl₂). This reaction involves the transfer of electrons between the atoms, resulting in the formation of ionic compounds.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct reactants for the formation of magnesium chloride (MgCl₂) are magnesium (Mg) and chlorine gas (Cl₂). When these two reactants come together in a chemical reaction, magnesium is oxidized, changing its oxidation state from 0 to +2, and chlorine is reduced, changing its oxidation state from 0 to -1. Each chlorine atom gains one electron to become a chloride ion (Cl⁻), while the magnesium atom loses two electrons to become a magnesium ion (Mg²⁺).
The balanced chemical equation for this reaction is:
Mg(s) + Cl₂(g) → MgCl₂(s)