What are the chemical properties of calcium?

States

State (s, l, g): solid

Melting point: 1115 K (842 oC)

Boiling point: 1771 K (1484 oC)

Energies

Specific heat capacity: 0.63 J g-1 K-1

Heat of fusion: 8.54 kJ mol-1

1st ionization energy: 589.8 kJ mol-1

3rd ionization energy: 4911.8 kJ mol-1

Heat of atomization: 178 kJ mol-1

Heat of vaporization: 153.6 kJ mol-1

2nd ionization energy: 1145.4 kJ mol-1

Electron affinity: 2 kJ mol-1

Oxidation & Electrons

Shells: 2,8,8,2

Minimum oxidation number: 0

Min. common oxidation no.: 0

Electronegativity (Pauling Scale): 1

Electron configuration: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2

Maximum oxidation number: 2

Max. common oxidation no.: 2

Polarizability volume: 22.8 Å3

Appearance & Characteristics

Structure: ccp: cubic close packed

Hardness: 1.75 mohs

Calcium metal burning in air to form calcium nitride and calcium oxide.

Calcium metal reacting with water, producing calcium hydroxide and hydrogen gas.

Color: silvery-white

Harmful effects:

Non toxic and an essential metal for living organisms.

Characteristics:

Calcium is reactive and, for a metal, soft (with difficulty, it can be cut with a knife).

In contact with air, calcium develops a mixed oxide and nitride coating, which protects it from further corrosion.

Calcium reacts easily with water and acids and the metal burns brightly in air, forming mainly the nitride.

Uses:

Calcium forms alloys with aluminum, beryllium, copper, lead, and magnesium.

It is used in the manufacture of other metals such as uranium and thorium.

Calcium is used to remove oxygen, sulfur and carbon from alloys.

Calcium from limestone is a vital component of Portland cement.

Quicklime (CaO) is used in many applications in the chemical industry, such as treatment of drinking water - especially for water softening and arsenic removal, animal waste and wastewater.

Reactions & Compounds

Reaction with air: vigorous, ⇒ CaO, Ca3N2

Reaction with 15 M HNO3: vigorous, ⇒ H2, Ca(NO3)2

Oxide(s): CaO

Hydride(s): CaH2

Reaction with 6 M HCl: vigorous, ⇒ H2, CaCl2

Reaction with 6 M NaOH: none

Chloride(s): CaCl2

Radius

Atomic radius: 180 pm

Ionic radius (2+ ion): 114 pm

Ionic radius (2- ion): pm

Ionic radius (1+ ion): pm

Ionic radius (3+ ion): pm

Ionic radius (1- ion): pm

Conductivity

Thermal conductivity: 201 W m-1 K-1

Electrical conductivity: 0.313 x 106 S cm-1

Abundance & Isotopes

Abundance earth's crust: 4.2 % by weight , 2.2 % by moles

Abundance solar system: 70 parts per million by weight, 2 parts per million by moles

Cost, pure: $20 per 100g

Cost, bulk: $ per 100g

Source: Calcium occurs in nature in various minerals including limestone (calcium carbonate), gypsum (calcium sulfate) and fluorite (calcium fluoride). Commercially it can be made by the electrolysis of molten calcium chloride, CaCl2. The pure metal can also be produced by replacing the calcium in lime (CaCO3) with aluminum in hot, low pressure retorts.

<Isotopes:Calcium has 19 Isotopes whose half-lives are known, with mass numbers 35 to 53. Of these, five are stable: 40Ca, 42Ca, 43Ca, 44Ca and 46Ca. 97% of naturally occurring calcium is in the form of 40Ca.