How reactive is calcium?

Many elements especially metals are reactive. These metals are located on the period table. Some are more reactive than others. To determine the extent to how reactive an element is, scientists look at the speed of the reaction as well as how well it changes through a chemical process and results in making a chemical bond. Whenever a chemical has combined with another chemical, it comes together.

For example, whenever calcium interacts with oxygen, it becomes calcium oxide. The top five reactive metals are aluminum, magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium with potassium being the most reactive and aluminum being the least, but these are all part of the top five. Calcium is the third most reactive element among the top five elements.

Calcium is highly reactive. It is high in the reactivity series. The reaction rather depends in what form you are considering. Calcium is a silvery white metal. The surface of calcium metal is covered with a thin layer of oxide that helps protect against degradation by air. At room temperature, calcium reacts with oxygen.

It forms a thin layer of CaO, In that way it is protected from further oxidation. Calcium sulphate is pretty insoluble in water. It reacts rapidly with dilute sulphuric acid to give calcium sulphate and hydrogen gas. Gradually this reaction slows down. Calcium has carbonates that need a lot of energy to decompose them.

Calcium is highly reactive metal. Due to its level of reactivity, it does not exist as a free metal in nature, it always exist as a compound. It reacts readily with oxygen to form calcium oxide (CaO). Only the alkali metals in Group 1 are more reactive than calcium.

Calcium also reacts with halogens such as fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine and astatine. It reacts readily with cold water, acids, non-metals such as sulphur and phosphorous. Calcium is stored in a dark glass container under paraffin in order to prevent it from reacting with air or water.