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The Chemical Element Calcium

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What is Calcium? The chemical element Calcium (Ca) is a malleable, ductile, soft metal. It's located in period four and group two of the periodic table. Calcium atoms have 20 electrons and 20 protons, there are two valence electrons in the outer shells. Its mass number is approximately 40.08. Calcium has four stable isotopes including 40Ca, 42Ca, 43Ca, and 44Ca; 97% of naturally occurring calcium is in the isotope 40Ca. Isotopes are atoms that have the same number of protons and electrons, but a different number of neutrons. In nature, calcium does not appear as a metal itself instead it appears in the form of rocks and minerals such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. Calcium can be found in countries such as Russia, China, USA, and France.

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