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calcium(Ca)
(kalīse-әm)
a chemical element, atomic number 20, atomic weight 40.08. It is the most abundant mineral in the body; in combination with
phosphorus it forms calcium phosphate, the dense, hard material of bones and teeth. It is an important cation in intracellular and extracellular fluid and is essential to normal blood clotting, maintenance of a normal heartbeat, and initiation of neuromuscular and metabolic activities. See also hypercalcemia and hypocalcemia.
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