Calcium
a silver-white divalent metal, occurring combined in limestone, chalk, gypsum, etc., occurring also in vertebrates and other animals, as a component of bone, skeletal mass, shell, etc., and as a necessary element in nerve conduction, heartbeat, muscle contraction, and many other physiological functions. Symbol: Ca; atomic weight: 40.08; atomic number: 20; specific gravity: 1.55 at 20°C.
Contemporary Examples
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Historical Examples
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noun
a malleable silvery-white metallic element of the alkaline earth group; the fifth most abundant element in the earth’s crust (3.6 per cent), occurring esp as forms of calcium carbonate. It is an essential constituent of bones and teeth and is used as a deoxidizer in steel. Symbol: Ca; atomic no: 20; atomic wt: 40.078; valency: 2; relative density: 1.55; melting pt: 842±2°C; boiling pt: 1494°C
n.
calcium
(kāl’sē-əm)
Symbol Ca
A silvery-white, moderately hard metallic element of the alkaline-earth group that occurs in limestone and gypsum. It is a basic component of leaves, bones, teeth, and shells, and is essential for the normal growth and development of most animals and plants. Calcium is used to make plaster, cement, and alloys. Atomic number 20; atomic weight 40.08; melting point 842 to 848°C; boiling point 1,487°C; specific gravity 1.55; valence 2. See Periodic Table.
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noun another name for calcium channel blocker
- Calcium-arsenate
a white, slightly water-soluble, poisonous powder, Ca 3 (AsO 4) 2 , used as an insecticide and as a germicide.
- Calcium-blocker
any of a group of drugs that prevent the influx of calcium into excitable tissues such as smooth muscle of the heart or arterioles, used in the treatment of angina, hypertension, and certain arrhythmias.
- Calcium-carbide
a grayish-black, lumpy, crystalline powder, CaC 2 , usually derived from coke or anthracite by reaction with limestone or quicklime: used chiefly for the generation of acetylene, which it yields upon decomposing in water. noun a grey salt of calcium used in the production of acetylene (by its reaction with water) and calcium cyanamide. Formula: […]
- Calcium-carbonate
a white, crystalline, water-insoluble, tasteless powder, CaCO 3 , occurring in nature in various forms, as calcite, chalk, and limestone: used chiefly in dentifrices and polishes and in the manufacture of lime and cement. noun a white crystalline salt occurring in limestone, chalk, marble, calcite, coral, and pearl: used in the production of lime and […]