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| This is the pure form of Calcium. It slowly reacts with water and Oxygen in the air - tarnishing the surface of the calcium block. (Photo Credit - Periodic Table) |
Relative Mass: 40.07
Group: 2
Period: 4
Block: S
Symbol: Ca
Calcium is a soft, silvery-white metal that oxidises swiftly in the presence of air and water. It has to be kept in an atmosphere of Argon to preserve the shiny surface of the metal.
This element is the fifth most abundant metal within the Earth's crust with a percentage of 4.1%. Normally, this element, like most in this series of blog posts, are found naturally combined. Calcium forms as limestone mainly (Calcium Carbonate) as well as gypsom (Calcium sulfate) and fluorite.
If you live in an area which has hard water, then you will have a calcium salt running through your pipe. Calcium bicarbonate is the dissolved salt which originates from the cave were the water filtered through. The salt precipitates out to form stalactites (Hangs down) and stalagmites (points upwards) in those caves.
Commercially, calcium metal is isolated by heating lime (calcium carbonate) with aluminum inside a vacuum.
Discovery of Calcium
In history, Lime (Calcium Oxide) was the most useful material for plaster and mortar. It could be obtained easily by heating limestone.
Antoine Lavoisier, a chemist who discovered many other elements such as Oxygen and Carbon, deduced that this element should be defined as an 'Earth'. It seemed impossible to reduce Lime further - into the components. Although, Antoine Lavoisier did believe that Lime was an oxide of another new element.
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| Sir Humphry Davy (Photo Credit - Britannic) |
At first, the chemist tried to reduce lime (Calcium Oxide) to Calcium. It was the same method which Sir Humphry Davy did with Sodium and Potassium. But, this particular method was not as successful for Calcium as it was with the other metals. Therefore, a mixture of lime and Mercury Oxide (HgO) was used instead for the electrolysis process. It worked though it did make an amalgamation of the two elements that Sir Humphry Davy couldn't confirm the result.
Davy attempted the experiment again. This time, the chemist increased the percentage of lime in the mixture. Like before, the end product amalgamated into the two element. But, Humphry Davy distilled off the Mercury - leaving the Calcium behind.
Another chemist, Jöns Jacob Berzelius also undertook the same experiment to isolate the element Calcium. He also made the amalgamation of the element.
Biological Uses
Like potassium, calcium is an element which is essential for all living things. It is used (as the compound, Calcium Phosphate) for the growth for healthy bones and teeth.
The average human contains an estimated 1kg of calcium within their bodies and need 0.7 grams of Calcium (according to the NHS). Though pregnant women as well as children aged 11 through to 18 are encouraged to consume more calcium.
Calcium also helps to regulate muscle contraction - this includes the heart muscle. The element also clots the blood by working with vitamin K and fibrogen (a protein). So Calcium is a very important mineral for the body.
It's Uses
- It is used as a reducing agent which is an element which gives their electrons (negatively
charged parts) to another element.
This is yellow gypsom
A gem stone which contains Calcium.
It is where gypsom powder or plaster is made from - In this case: Calcium will be used with other metals like uranium.
- It is also used to make alloys with metals such as;
- Calcium Carbonate, or Limestone, is used in different ways to make buildings.
- Directly as building stone.
- Indirectly as the compound calcium hydroxide (Slake lime) as cement
- Gypsom is used as plaster by builders
- Gypsom is also used by nurses for setting bones - ever heard of 'Plaster of Paris'
Taking Calcium Supplement could Double the Risk of Dying of Cancer (The Independent) - This article was based on a scientific research paper written by Dr Zhang and researchers from the University of Massachusetts (Link to Paper). The Independent published their news article reporting how there were 24 cancer-related deaths of people who took supplements, compared with 12 deaths of people who didn't take Calcium tablets.
But before you stop taking your tablets, please note that there were no link found between Cancer and Calcium supplement tablets. Like I've written before, we need Calcium for clotting blood, building bones and to regulate muscle contraction. If your doctor has given you tablets - take them.
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