What is the oxidation number for calcium?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for the oxidation state of calcium, which is a basic concept in chemistry related to how many electrons an atom can gain, lose, or share in a chemical reaction.
Answer
+2
The oxidation number of calcium is +2.
Answer for screen readers
The oxidation number of calcium is +2.
More Information
Calcium, being an alkaline earth metal, almost always exhibits an oxidation state of +2 due to the loss of its two valence electrons.
Tips
A common mistake is not recognizing that Group 2 elements, like calcium, lose two electrons to achieve a stable electronic configuration, resulting in a +2 oxidation state.