Calcium

CALCIUM Zach Cirelli and Amber Benzingertoc  =Introduction = Calcium is a soft gray Alkaline earth metal and is very curcial for our health. Elements in the alkaline earth metals group tend to be more chemically reactive than others. The atomic number of Calcium is 20. The boiling point is 2703ºF and the melting point is 1548ºF. Calcium is fairly soft and has a shiny surface; it can also be cut fairly easily.

== =History = It's difficult to establish exactly when Calcium was first discovered because Calcium compounds were being used (such as limestone) to build structures. Whenever monuments or statues were built, limestone was being used (calcium carbonate). In 1808, Sir Humphry Davy (a British chemist) discovered Calcium in its pure form in England. He had invented the carbon arc lamp in the same year, which was used to discover the pure form of Calcium when he passed an electric current through melted calcium chloride. Calcium is a metal and is used for preparing other metals as well and it's used as an alloying agent. Metallic Calcium has fewer uses than calcium compounds. Calcium compounds include chalk, limestone, marble, and plaster. Sir Humphry Davy also discovered Magnesium, Barrium, and Stronium by the age of 29.

=Economics and Health = Calcium is very important and vital for lives because it provides humans with stronger bones. Osteoporosis is a perfect example of just how vital this element is to daily life. Osteoporosis occurs typically in post-menopausal women when their bones weaken abruptly. The major element of bones is Calcium. Calcium gives bones its strength and hardness. 99% of body Calcium is in the skeleton. So logically, Calcium is a necessity and an important nutrient of bone health. Recently, Calcium supplements have been increasing due to the fear of getting osteoporosis. Without Calcium, the human bones would be extremely fragile and very weak. Calcium also provides Vitamin D for our bones and teeth. So Calcium is quite vital for our health and it's important to make sure it is in our system. To learn more about Osteoporosis and Calcium's affects on the body, click here.

=Enviornment = Calcium is the 5th most abundant element in the earth's crust and in the human body. It's abundance is estimated to be around 3.64%. Calcium does not occur as a free element in nature. It is typically found as a compound and is much too active to be found in its pure form. But, the most common Calcium compound is Calcium Carbonate (limestone, chalk, marble, oyster shells, coral etc). Shellfish build their shells from Calcium in the water, which gives them a stronger outer shell. When an animal dies, their shells sink to the bottom of the water and over centuries; layers of the shell build up and are covered in mud or sand. The shells squeeze together due to pressure and the layer is transformed into limestone. If the limestone is squeezed even more; it will become marble or travertine.

=Chemistry = The atomic mass of Calcium is 40.078. There are six known naturally occurring isotopes of Calcium: Calcium-40, Calcium-42, Calcium-43, Calcium-44, Calcium-46, and Calcium-48. Isotopes are two or more forms of an element, and they differ according to their mass number (the number to the right of the element). There are also radioactive isotopes of Calcium which have been created and they are used in research and medicine. Calcium-45 and Calcium-47 are both used for studying how Calcium is used in the body. The radioactive isotope is injected into the person's bloodstream and it's path can be followed by the radiation given off; therefore, the doctor can determine whether or not the Calcium is being used normally in the body. Calcium is highly reactive with oxygen and other elements because it is a member of the Alkaline earth metals. Calcium's crystal structure is cubic.

=Interesting Facts About Calcium= Calcium is usually found as a compound and almost never in it's pure form. It's difficult to determine who truly discovered Calcium since it's compound (Calcium Carbonate) has been used way before Sir Humphry Davy discovered it in it's pure form. media type="youtube" key="s-oaepPms0I?fs=1" height="385" width="480"

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"Facts about CALCIUM ***." //Facts About Everything! Arts, Literature, Science, History, Events, Entertainment, People, Places and the Natural World//. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. [].

Mathematica. "The Photographic Periodic Table of the Elements." //The Photographic Periodic Table of the Elements//. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. [].

Murray, T.M. "The importance of calcium in osteoporosis prevention: Official position of the Osteoporosis Society of Canada | ENCOGNITIVE.COM." //ENCOGNITIVE.COM | Natural Health Is Our DNA//. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. []

"Who Discovered Calcium?." //Corrosion Prevention | Corrosion Protection | Rust | Your Guide to Corrosion & Rust//. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. []