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Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It is an alkaline earth metal, which is found in Group 2 of the periodic table. Elements in this group have two valence electrons in their outermost shell. These valence electrons are the ones that participate in chemical reactions and determine the chemical properties of an element.

When calcium loses its two valence electrons, it forms a calcium ion, which is denoted as Ca2+. The charge of an ion is represented by the number of electrons lost or gained by an atom. In the case of calcium, it loses two electrons, hence the charge of the calcium ion is +2.

The electronic configuration of a neutral calcium atom is 2, 8, 8, 2. This means it has two electrons in its first shell, eight in the second, eight in the third, and two in the fourth. When calcium loses its two valence electrons, it achieves a stable electronic configuration similar to that of a noble gas, specifically, argon (Ar). Argon has an atomic number of 18 and has the electronic configuration of 2, 8, 8. By losing two electrons, calcium mimics this configuration, which is why a calcium ion has the same electronic structure as an argon atom.

The formation of a calcium ion with a +2 charge is a result of calcium's tendency to form stable compounds by reaching a noble gas configuration. This is a common characteristic of elements in Group 2, as they all have two valence electrons that they can easily lose to achieve stability.

In summary, the charge of the calcium ion is +2. This is because calcium, being in Group 2, has two valence electrons that it can lose to form a stable ion. The resulting Ca2+ ion has the same electronic structure as an argon atom, which is why it is stable and commonly found in various compounds.

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Calcium is also in Group 2. It has two electrons in its outer shell. When these electrons are lost, a calcium ion Ca2+ is formed. A calcium ion has the same electronic structure as an argon atom (Ar).read more >>