It is the twentieth element in the periodic table, its symbol being Ca and its atomic weight 40.078. It is one of the most abundant metals in the earth's crust and has a gray tone, as well as a soft consistency. It is an element that is very present in water, along with sodium, chloride, magnesium and sulfate.
It is not very difficult to find it in living beings, manifesting itself in the bone structure regularly, since scientific studies reveal that they strengthen them and cannot be injured so easily, in addition, they act as membrane stabilizers; likewise, it regulates muscle contractions, along with other chemical components. If a large amount of calcium is consumed, hypercalcemia can occur, being highly toxic to the body.
It is considered an alkaline earth metal, in addition to having a whitish tone in the first instance, but when exposed to the environment it turns yellowish and then grayish, all this in a short period of time. It was discovered by Humphrey Davy, during the 19th century; he himself had been conducting some experiments with lime and mercury, using electrolysis. Its name comes from the Latin "calx" and, in the first years after its discovery, it could only be obtained in laboratories.
Among its most common applications, it can be found that it is a common component of milk, as well as acting as a reducer in the process of extraction of different minerals and metals. Despite being a really abundant metal, it cannot be found in its pure state, only fused with other minerals, such as carbonate and sulfate.
