. 
TENSILE AND COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF MAGNESIUM, 455 
For the purposes of comparison several tests were made on 
specimens of ordinary commercial magnesium wire, giving results 
as follows :— 
reaking | | Average Average Break- 
| No. | anole. Load tbs. | Breaking | ing Fees Nog snd 
| 
| 
| 
| 0245 | 17-0 | 16:87 | 85,800 
| 16'8 
The compressive strength of three specimens was determined ; 
the dimensions of the pieces and the stresses ii as follows :— 
rae - | Maximum| Maximu: 
N. Length | Diameter | ts 
orl tiehes. | taches: Bers ~~ Load bs per | 
1/148 | -415 | 5425 | 40,126 
2 | 1465 | -415 5320 | 39,349 | 
3 | 134 ‘414 | 5695 | 42,310 |" 
Tt will thus be seen that the average tensile strength of the 
Magnesium rods is slightly over ten tons per square inch, with an 
elastic limit of four tons. per square inch. In the form of wire 
the tensile strength of the metal is considerably higher, averaging 
nearly sixteen tons per square inch. This is probably a parallel 
case to the notable difference between the tensile strength of 
ordinary steel rods and of steel wires. The average compressive 
strength of the magnesium is about eighteen tons per square inch. 
These figures differ slightly from those given as the result of a 
Series of tests made at the Charlottenburgh Mechanical Laboratory." 
There the average tensile and compressive strengths were 23°2 
and 27-2 kilogrammes per square mm., or about 14:7 and 17°3 
tons per Square inch respectively. 
An interesting comparison may be made between the strength 
as related to the density of magnesium on the one side and of 
1 Journ. Soc. Chem. Indus., Vol. v1., p. 730. 
