Calcium

Hope Alkaline-Earth Metal – Fourth Row [1s22s22p63s23p64s2] Atomic Number - 20 Atomic Mass – 40.078
 * Calcium**

I was discovered in 1808 by Sir Humphrey Davy. My name comes from the Latin word calcis, which means lime. I love to help people and plants. I am essential in bones, teeth, shells, and leaves. I can be found naturally in limestone, gypsum, and fluorite. I also easily form compounds by combining with oxygen and water, which are used in making lime, brick, cement, glass, paint, paper, sugar, and glazes. I am rarely seen in my pure metallic form. I would also like to be a reducing agent an alloying agent in the production of alloys. I am very reactive and often lose my two outer shell electrons to form Ca+2.
 * Objective**

I am the fifth most abundant element in the earth’s crust. I also won the Human Health award because I am essential for human health and without me leg cramps, muscles spasms, and brittle bones may occur.
 * Honors and Awards**

I am able to control muscle growth and electrical impulses in the brain. I am also able to help maintain proper blood pressure and make blood clot when one gets cut. I am essential in living organisms, without me Calcium deficiencies will occur in humans.
 * Experience and Skills**

Chlorine- Calcium and I combine to form Calcium Chloride. Oxygen- When I combine with Calcium we form quicklime, which is added to water to form slaked lime. Phosphate- Calcium and I combine to form hydroxylapatite, which is the mineral portion of human and animal bones.
 * References**

http://chemistry.about.com/od/elementfacts/a/calcium.htm http://www.facts-about.org.uk/science-element-calcium.htm http://www.green-planet-solar-energy.com/calcium-element.html http://www.mii.org/periodic/LifeElement.php#ca http://www.periodic-table.org.uk/element-calcium.htm
 * Citations**