Question

What is the abbreviation of Calcium?

Answer 1

Hint: The abbreviations for chemical elements, functional groups, and chemical compounds are known as chemical symbols. Chemical element symbols are usually made up of one or two letters from the Latin alphabet, with the first letter capitalised.

Complete step-by-step answer:
Calcium which is represented by the chemical symbol $Ca$, with the atomic number $20$, is the fifth element and the third most common metal in the earth's crust. Calcium is a reactive alkaline earth metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride coat when exposed to oxygen. The physical and chemical characteristics of Calcium are most comparable to those of its heavier homologues strontium and barium.

Calcium compounds are commonly used in a wide range of applications. There are large deposits of limestone, which is Calcium carbonate, which is used both directly as a building stone and indirectly as a cement additive. As limestone is heated in kilns, carbon dioxide gas is released, leaving behind quicklime which is Calcium oxide. The aggressive reaction between quicklime and water, produces slaked lime whose chemical name is Calcium hydroxide.

The abbreviation or the chemical symbol of Calcium is $Ca$ and it has the atomic number of 20. The symbol of Calcium is $Ca$ because one or two letters from the Latin alphabet, with the first letter capitalised usually make up the chemical element symbols.

Note: An ion is a positively charged molecule. Calcium ion has a positive charge of $ + 2$ which is often present in combination with a negative ion to achieve total neutrality. Calcium atoms are neutral.