Calcium | Educational Word Lists and Word Search Games

Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air.

Calcium is the most abundant metal and the fifth-most abundant element in the human body. As electrolytes, calcium ions play a vital role in the physiological and biochemical processes of organisms and cells: in signal transduction pathways where they act as a second messenger; in neurotransmitter release from neurons; in the contraction of all muscle cell types; as cofactors in many enzymes; and fertilization.

Alkali Metals and Alkaline Earth Metals

Play this Wordsearch Game

The alkali metals (group 1) have very similar properties: they are all shiny, soft, highly reactive metals at standard temperature and pressure and readily lose their outermost electron to form cations with charge +1. The alkaline earth metals are all shiny, silvery-white, somewhat reactive metals at standard temperature and pressure.

The alkali metals are a group (column) in the periodic table consisting of the chemical elements lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), and francium (Fr).