Calcium Element
Calcium Element symbol...CA Atomic
weight...40.08 Element number...20 Number of
protons...20 Number of
electrons...20 Number of neutrons...20 Density at...68? F
Boiling
point...2,264?F Melting point...1,562?F Calcium was discovered by
Sir
Humphrey Davis in 1808. Calcium is a mineral found in abundance in
the Earth’s
outer crust. It is the fifth most abundant mineral in the Earth
crust. Calcium
is considered a major mineral because it is found in large
quantity in the body.
Milk also has a high amount of calcium and it is
the best way to get calcium.
Daily dietary requirements exceed over 100
mg. Calcium forms and maintains
teeth, it helps with blood clotting, it helps
build cell membranes, helps
contract muscles, helps nerve transmissions and
if the bones did not get calcium
they would not grow properly. Plants also
need calcium to grow because without
and adequate supply of calcium to enrich
the soil they would die. Calcium is
never found as a pure element in nature.
It is found as calcium hydroxide,
calcium oxide (also know as lime(lime
stone)), chalk, Iceland spar, coral,
pearls, egg shells and calcium carbonate
which makes up marble and gypsum. Lime
stone and marble are used for
buildings and building. Gypsum is found in
plaster, when in crystal form it
is called alabaster which is used by sculptors
to carve, it is also found in
cement.