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Calcium

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Calcium
Calcium is a well-known element that is essential to life on earth. Its symbol is Ca and it has an atomic number of 20. It is the 5th most abundant element on earth (by mass).
Calcium is silvery-white in colour and is solid at room temperature. It melts at 842 degrees Celsius (1115 K) and boils at 1484 degrees Celsius (1771 K). Calcium is quite soft for a metal. Calcium reacts easily and quite violently with water and other acids. This is due to the fact that calcium is an alkali earth metal. The flame test for calcium results in a brick red flame.
Calcium was first used (unknowingly) many, many years ago by the romans who used limestone (crystalline calcium carbonate) to build structures. Pure calcium was first isolated by Sir Humphrey Davey in 1808 when he successfully separated a naturally occurring calcium compound. Calcium derives its name from the Latin word calcis which means lime or limestone. Calcium has been found to have other, more important uses.
Calcium is essential for human and animal nutrition as it is a main component of teeth and bones. Our skeletons get there rigidity from calcium phosphate. Calcium is also necessary for plant growth. Calcium compounds are used in making lime, limestone, bricks, cement, glass, paint, paper and fireworks.

The Alkali Earth Metals
Calcium belongs to the alkali earth metal group. This group of elements are quite reactive (though not as reactive as the alkali earth metals.) as they have “over-complete” outer shells and only need to lose two electrons wen reacting to become stable. Other elements in this group include beryllium, magnesium, strontium, barium and radium.
Beryllium (Be) is a rare metal that is white-grey-metallic in colour. Its atomic number is 4. Beryllium is extremely rigid and is relatively transparent on x-rays. Its main use is in the manufacture of telecommunications infrastructure equipment, computers and mobile phones. Magnesium is another alkali earth metal with the symbol Mg and the atomic number 12. Magnesium makes up 13% of the earth’s mass however the free element is not found naturally on earth. Magnesium is solid, and shiny grey. It is also strong and light and is therefore used in automotive components.
Strontium (Sr) is a silvery-white metal that is softer than calcium and is extremely reactive with water. It has an atomic number of 38. Strontium is used to produce glass for colour televisions. The world’s most accurate clock was made using strontium atoms.
Barium (Ba) was first isolated by Sir Humphrey Davey in 1808 (The same man who isolated calcium!) Barium is used in paint and gas making. It looks and feel similar to calcium but barium is more reactive. Barium has an atomic number of 56.
Radium is the last element in the alkali earth metals group with an atomic number of 88. All isotopes of radium are highly radioactive. Radium is silver in colour (but glows in the dark) and solid at room temperature. Radium is not used in everyday life or for any purpose as it is considered too toxic.

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