How does oxygen react with magnesium to form magnesium oxide?

Magnesium reacts with oxygen through an oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction to form magnesium oxide (MgO).1

This process is characterized by the following chemical behavior:

• Electron Transfer: Each magnesium atom gives up two electrons, becoming oxidized to a ${\text{Mg}}^{2+}$ ion. Simultaneously, each oxygen atom accepts these two electrons, becoming reduced to an ${\text{O}}^{2-}$ ion.1
• Reaction Conditions: Magnesium is strongly reactive with oxygen at high temperatures. When heated above 645 °C (1,190 °F) in dry air, it burns with an intense heat and a bright white light.2
• Product Characteristics: The resulting magnesium oxide is an ionic compound consisting of ${\text{Mg}}^{2+}$ and ${\text{O}}^{2-}$ ions. It is a white solid commonly referred to as magnesia, which is utilized in various industrial applications, including the manufacture of refractory bricks and electrical insulators.13

Because oxygen acts as the oxidizing agent in this process, it is considered the prototypical example of the chemical behavior that defines oxidation and reduction.4