Calcium is a chemical element belonging to the alkaline earth metals with atomic number 20. In this article we shall discuss facts of calcium in detail.
Calcium is malleable because it is a metal exhibiting extreme softness and forms dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air and highly reactive with acids. Tensile strength of calcium is 110MPa and hardness is 17 It can be beaten into thin sheets unlike other alkaline metals since it does not cause skin burns.
A trimorphic metal, calcium is softer than aluminium. Typically, calcium is found as chemicals that are utilised to deoxidize high temperature alloys. The sheaths in the columns and grids of battery storage devices are made of a calcium-lead combination. Let’s now learn some information on the ductility and brittleness of calcium.
Is calcium brittle?
According to mechanics, a metal is said to be brittle when it breaks down without experiencing high levels of stress or distortion. Let’s check to determine if calcium is brittle.
Calcium is brittle because of its great softness and shine in comparison to other metals. Calcium loses its lustre when exposed to air and water, hence it is employed as a reducing agent to create other radioactive metals, such as uranium and thorium.
Given that the water has a significant mineral content, the amount of calcium ions present in the water is used to determine how hard the calcium is. Since calcium metal can be cut readily, it is simple to shape into any shapes.
Is calcium ductile?
Ductility refers to a metal’s capacity to withstand plastic deformation without losing its hardness. Let’s look at whether calcium is ductile or not presently.
Calcium is a ductile metal because sometimes it is described in pale yellow form. Calcium in its purest form it is extra bright and malleable. When pure calcium is exposed to air it will form dark oxide layers. The properties of calcium are very much similar to the heavier metal in its group.
According to the periodic table, alkaline metals are extremely ductile and malleable also a small number of elements are radioactive metals. Calcium has been employed as an alloying agent in the preparation of other metals including beryllium, aluminium, copper, and so on due to its nature.
Conclusion
The atmosphere of the planet contains large amounts of calcium, a reactive metal. The heaviest metals in the group, such as barium and strontium, are represented by calcium, which shares similar physical and chemical characteristics. Calcium is most commonly used in the steel industry.
Read more about Is Gold Malleable?
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Hi…I am Keerthana Srikumar, currently pursuing Ph.D. in Physics and my area of specialization is nano-science. I completed my Bachelor’s and Master’s from Stella Maris College and Loyola College respectively. I have a keen interest in exploring my research skills and also have the ability to explain Physics topics in a simpler manner. Apart from academics I love to spend my time in music and reading books.
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