calcium phosphate
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun A compound of calcium and phosphorus, specifically a salt of phosphoric acid containing calcium ions. It is the primary inorganic component of vertebrate bones and teeth, providing rigidity and strength.
Usage
Calcium phosphate is used as a precise chemical term to refer to the mineral family that forms the hard structure of bones and teeth. It is also used in contexts like nutrition, medicine, and materials science. - Primary Usage: Referring to the bone mineral. - Secondary Usage: Referring to compounds used in food additives, fertilizers, or supplements.
Examples
- In Biology/Medicine:
- Hydroxyapatite, a crystalline form of calcium phosphate, is what makes bones hard.
- A deficiency in calcium phosphate can lead to weakened bones.
- In Industry/Chemistry:
- Tricalcium phosphate is a common food additive used as an anti-caking agent.
- The laboratory synthesized a new type of calcium phosphate for ceramic implants.
Advanced Usage
- "Calcium phosphate deposition": The process by which this compound forms solid deposits, crucial in bone formation and sometimes in pathological conditions like kidney stones.
- The study focused on the mechanisms of calcium phosphate deposition in developing bone tissue.
- "Calcium phosphate cement": A bioactive material used in orthopedic and dental surgeries to repair bone defects.
- The surgeon used a calcium phosphate cement to fill the cavity in the patient's skull.
Variants and Related Words
- Apatite (n): A group of phosphate minerals, including hydroxyapatite, which is the main crystalline component of bone.
- Tooth enamel is primarily composed of carbonated hydroxyapatite.
- Tricalcium phosphate (n): A specific compound (Ca₃(PO₄)₂) used in food and supplements.
- Check the ingredient list for tricalcium phosphate.
- Dicalcium phosphate (n): Another specific compound (CaHPO₄) used as a dietary supplement and toothpaste abrasive.
- Hydroxyapatite (n): The specific, complex crystalline calcium phosphate that constitutes the majority of bone mineral.
Synonyms
- Bone mineral: (Contextual synonym) Refers specifically to the calcium phosphate salts in bone.
- Phosphate of lime: (Archaic/older term) An older name for calcium phosphate compounds.
Related Phrases/Compounds
- Calcium phosphate solubility product: A chemical term referring to the equilibrium constant for its dissolution.
- Understanding the calcium phosphate solubility product is key to preventing scale in pipes.
- Calcium phosphate metabolism: The biological processes involving the absorption, use, and excretion of calcium and phosphate in the body.
- Vitamin D is essential for proper calcium phosphate metabolism.
Noun
- a phosphate of calcium; a main constituent of animal bones