Calcium compounds have been known for years from the early days of sculpture using Calcium Carbonate (Limestone) but it was not until 1808 that Sir Humphry Davy isolated Calcium using electrolysis on a mixture of Calcium oxide and Mercuric Oxide.

It has the symbol Ca.Ĭalcium is an Alkaline earth metal in Group 2 of the periodic table that is the fifth most abundant element in the earths crust, forming compounds such as limestone and fossils. It is an Alkaline Earth Metal and is located in Group 2 of the periodic table. In living species, calcium is necessary to maintain bone density among animals including humans.Calcium (Ca) is a silvery-white soft metal that has the atomic number 20 in the periodic table. Calcium has four energy levels, with electrons count of 2, 8, 8, and 2 respectively.Ĭhemical properties of calcium – the isotopes and corresponding half-lifeĬa-40 has a stable half life, Ca41 has a half life of 103,000 years, Ca-42 up to 44, 46 and 48 all have stable half lives, Ca-45 isotope's half life is 162.7 days, Ca47 has 4.5 days, and the shortest-lived isotope is Ca-49 with a half life of 8.7 minutes.Ĭalcium easily combines with other element to form another compound making it a vital agent in many industries.

Chemical properties of calcium, furthermore, include a cubic crystal structure, a white silvery color, and a density of 1.55 g/cm3 at 293 K. A single atom of calcium contains 20 protons/electrons and 20 neutrons. The specific gravity of calcium is 1.55 equal to 20✬. This is only achievable with the use of special industry or laboratory equipment. This means that calcium needs more than 14 times of needed heat to boil water. The chemical properties of calcium include its melting point, which is 839.0 +/- 2☌ while its boiling point is 1484.0✬ with a valence of 2. When subjected to very high temperature in the air, calcium can burn to produce nitride.Ĭhemical properties of calcium – atomic configurationsĬalcium's symbol is 'Ca' and has an atomic number 20, with atomic weight 40.078amu. When calcium comes in contact with air, it forms a coating of nitride and oxide to minimize further corrosion. Apatite contains calcium in the fluorophosphates or chlorophosphate phase. Some of the natural forms of calcium are: limestone (CaCo3), fluorite (CaF2) and gypsum (CaSO4♲H2O). Calcium combines with other elements to form certain compounds that are abundant in the earth's crust. Unlike other alkaline metals, calcium is less chemically reactive and doesn't burn skin. Natural calcium can be sourced from gypsum, lime, and chalk.Ĭalcium is a trimorphic type of metal, which is harder than sodium but softer compared with aluminum. It comes from the Latin word calcis meaning 'lime'. but it wasn't until 1808 that English scientist Sir Humphrey Davy discovered this element. Calcium was first used by the Romans in the 1st century A.D. It is classified among the alkaline earth metals. Calcium is the 5th element in the Periodic Table and third most abundant metal in the earth's crust that accounts to 3.5%.

Ca element chemistry