The Multistage Process Of Exploring Calcium

735 Words3 Pages

Calcium is a chemical element, that has the symbol Ca. Its atomic number is 20. Calcium is an alkali-earth metal, which means it builds oxides, that react with water. It's natural state in solid. Calcium's melting point is 842°C, 1548°F, 1115 K and boiling point is 1484°C, 2703°F, 1757 K. Calcium is a silver-white soft metal, that reacts to halogens, water, and acid. This metal was first discovered by a man called Humphry Davy, in 1808 through the process of electrolysis while doing a mixture of lime (CaO) and mercuric oxide (HgO). Calcium is one of the most abundant elements on earth, forming over 3% of the earth's crust. It has 6 stable and several radioactive isotopes
Calcium is the third most abundant metal in the earth’s crust, but …show more content…

When it's filtered through the ground and reaches a cave, it precipitates out to form of stalactites and stalagmites, and in those stalactites, you are able to find calcium. Another way to extract calcium is by getting it out of limestone. To do so you have to go through a multistage process requiring special equipment. The first step is to create a fine powder with limestone ore, then add dilute hydrochloric acid. This will make the limestone lose the carbon dioxide and increase the purity of the calcium carbonate. Secondly, filter this mixture to remove the remaining silica and other insoluble materials. Next, add oxalic acid (H2C204), to the limestone powered. This mixture will create a calcium oxalate ( CaC2O4), and aqueous carbonic acid ( H2C03), according to this formula: CaC03 + H2C2O4 -> CaC2O4 + H2CO3. The next step is to rinse the calcium oxalate and sprinkle some deionized water and pour it into a beaker. Then add hydrochloric acid to create calcium chloride (CaCl2), according to the formula: CaC2O4 + 2HCl -> CaCl2 + 2CO2 + H2. Add sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), to the calcium chloride you already have. This will make calcium carbonate ( CaCO3), according to the formula: Na2CO3 + CaCl2 -> CaCO3 + 2NaCl. Afterward, filter this solution to obtain the calcium carbonate. Finally, heat the calcium carbonate at 248 degrees Fahrenheit to dry it out. Heat the calcium carbonate to 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit to get CaO. The following equation shows this reaction: CaCO3 -> CaO + CO2. Store the lime into a closed container and add aluminum. Heat the mixture to 2,552 degrees Fahrenheit to obtain pure calcium according to this equation: 5CaO + 2Al -> Al2O3 + 2CaO + 3Ca. These are the few ways that you are able to obtain calcium on its

Open Document