Calcium

Fig.1 Calcium Sample

Calcium is a alkaline earth metal, which is all around us. It was used by people for thousands of years but they had no idea what it was until in 1808, Humphry Davy at the age of twenty nine discovered calcium by building a large battery, which he used to break down substances, most scientists thought were pure metals. It is a non-toxic and essential metal for living organisms. Calcium is reactive and for a metal, it is soft. It can be cut with a knife if pressure is applied. When calcium comes into contact with air it develops a mixed oxide and nitride coating that protects it from corrosion. It has a melting point of about 850 C(1,560F) and its boiling point is 1,440 C(2,620 F). Its density is 1.54 grams per cubic centimeter.

Fig.2 Calcium strengthens bones

Calcium has many known uses and is essential to all living beings. Calcium metals are used as reducing agents in preparing other metals such as uranium and thorium. It can also be used as a alloying agent for copper, aluminum, lead or magnesium alloys. Getters, which are substance used to remove unwanted chemicals form the system, contain calcium. Calcium is found in limestone, which is used as a building stone and also can be used to make cement. Gypsum or calcium sulfate is used as plaster for building and can be used by doctors for setting bone in a cast. Calcium is also found in our bodies most prominent in our bones and teeth. An average human contains about 1 kilogram of calcium through out the body.

Calcium is the fifth most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust. It occurs abundantly as limestone, gypsum, fluorite, and apatite. It is also the fifth most abundant element in the human body. The price for pure calcium is two dollars per gram if bought. The way they extract calcium is actually the same method Humphry Davy used. An electric current is passed through molten calcium chloride.