INTRODUCTION
Calcium is fifth in abundance among the elements in Earth's crust, but it is not found as free element in nature. It occurs in many highly useful compounds,such as calcium carbonate,calcium sulfate,calcium fluoride,calcium phosphate and in many silicates.
It is a very reactive,silvery-white metallic element.It is found in the group 2 of the periodic table as the alkaline earth metal.
BASIC INFORMATIONS
- Atomic Number
- 20
- Atomic Mass
- 40.078
- Atomic radius
- 0.174
- Ionization energy
- 590
- Electronic config
- 2,8,8,2
- Principal Valency
- +2
- Density g/cm³
- 1.55
- Melting point °C
- 842
- Boiling point °C
- 1484
- Type of Element
- Metal
- Electronegativity
- 1.0
- Element Category
- Alkaline Earth Metal
- Appearance
- Silvery white solid
- Block
- s-block
- Period
- 4
- Group
- 2
- No of Isotopes
- 24
- Occurrence
- Combine form
- Abundance in ppm
- 46600
- Year of Discovery
- 1808
EXTRACTION
Calcium is extracted by the electrolysis of it's fused salt (often Halide)
OXIDATION STATES
+2,+1 (Strongly Basic)
MAJOR SOURCE
calcium carbonate calcium sulfate
EXAMPLES OF COMPOUND PRESENT
calcium phosphate , calcium fluoride, Calcium hydroxide
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
* Calcium alloys are excellent for bearings,superior to ordinary lead antimony for grids in storage batteries, and more durable as sheathing for lead-covered cable.
* Calcium is present in the chemically combined state in lime,cement and mortar,teeth and bones,and in many body fluids essential to muscle contraction.
* It aid in the transmission of nerve impulses and the clotting of blood.
* It is used as a deoxidizer for copper, nickel, and stainless steel.
