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Calcium

Calcium (IPA: /ˈkalsiəm/) is the chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078. more...

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Calcium is a soft grey alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth most abundant element in the Earth's crust. It is essential for living organisms, particularly in cell physiology, and is the most common metal in many animals.

Notable characteristics

Calcium is a rather soft, gray, metallic element that can be extracted by electrolysis from calcium fluoride. It burns with a yellow-red flame and forms a white nitride coating when exposed to air. It reacts with water, displacing hydrogen and forming calcium hydroxide.

Calcium is essential in muscle contraction, oocyte activation, bones and tooth structure, blood clotting, nerve impulse transmission, regulating heartbeat, and fluid balance within cells. In the U.S., between about 50% and 75% of adults do not get sufficient calcium in their diet. Adults need between 1,000 and 1,300 mg of calcium in their daily diet.

The most abundant isotope, ⁴⁰Ca, has a nucleus of 20 protons and 20 neutrons. Its electron configuration is: 2 electrons in the K shell (principal quantum number 1), 8 in the L shell (principal quantum number 2), 8 in the M shell (principal quantum number 3), and 2 in the N shell (principal quantum number 4). The outer shell is the valence shell, with 2 electrons in the lone 4s orbital, the 3d orbitals being empty.

Occurrence

Calcium is not naturally found in its elemental state. Calcium occurs most commonly in sedimentary rocks in the minerals calcite, dolomite and gypsum. It occurs in igneous and metamorphic rocks chiefly in the silicate minerals: plagioclase, amphiboles, pyroxenes and garnets.

See also Calcium minerals.

Applications

Some uses are:

as a reducing agent in the extraction of other metals, such as uranium, zirconium, and thorium.; as a deoxidizer, desulfurizer, or decarbonizer for various ferrous and nonferrous alloys.; as an alloying agent used in the production of aluminium, beryllium, copper, lead, and magnesium alloys.; in the making of cements and mortars to be used in construction.;

Calcium Compounds

Calcium arsenate (Ca₃(AsO₄)₂) is used in insecticides.;

Calcium carbide (CaC₂) is used: to make acetylene gas (for use in acetylene torches for welding) and in the manufacturing of plastics.;