20. Calcium
Name: Calcium
Symbol: Ca
Atomic Number: 20
Atomic Mass: 40.078 amu
Melting Point: 839.0 °C (1112.15 °K, 1542.2 °F)
Boiling Point: 1484.0 °C (1757.15 °K, 2703.2 °F)
Number of Protons/Electrons: 20
Number of Neutrons: 20
Classification: Alkaline Earth
Crystal Structure: Cubic
Density(293 K): 1.55 g/cm3
Color: Silvery
Calcium is a metallic element, fifth in abundance in the earth's crust, of which it forms more than 3%. It is an essential constituent of leaves, bones, teeth, and shells.
The metal is a silvery colour and is rather hard. Chemically it is one of the alkaline earth elements; it readily forms a white coating of nitride in air, reacts with water, burns with a yellow-red flame, forming largely the nitride.
Calcium does not occur free in nature. Calcium is found mostly as limestone, gypsum and fluorite. Stalagmites and stalactites contain calcium carbonate.
Calcium was discovered in 1808 by Sir Humphrey Davy.
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