Wanted: Potassium (K)
By: Katherine Bailey
Nickname: Pot- Ash
Appearance
Potassium has many different physical features.
- Protons- 19
- Neutrons- 20
- Electrons-19
- K is the symbol for potassium
- Atomic number- 19
- Atomic mass- 39.1
- Solid (at room temperature)
- Slivery- white metal
- Density- .86 grams/cc
- Melting point- 64.48 degrees Celsius
- Boiling point- 759 degrees Celsius
- Reactive to metal
- Does not have smell
Protons: 19
Neutrons: 20
Electrons: 19
Neutrons: 20
Electrons: 19
Fireworks are one of potassium's uses
Soap was one of potassium's first uses.
Where Can Potassium Be Found
Potassium can be found in various place and it has very many uses. First, it is the 19th element on the periodic table, and it is in the first group. Potassium is never found in its native state; only in a compound. Also 1.5% of the Earth's crust is made of potassium. It is the 7th most common element in the world. Potassium is found in plants, the sea, most volcanic (igneous) rocks, in our cells, and in most of our food.
Some of its uses include:
Some of its uses include:
- Gunpowder
- Glass Making
- Soap
- Laundry Detergent
- Fertilizer
- Nuclear Reactions
- Fireworks
- Salt
- Industrial Chemical
Partners in CRIME
Potassium works with many partners (compounds) during crime.
- Hydrides (KH)
- Fluorides (KF)
- Chlorides (KCl)
- Iodides (KI)
Discovery
Potassium was first discovered in 1806 in the Royal Institution, which is located in London, England. The element was discovered by Sir Humphry Davey and assisted by Edmund Davy. Then Potassium was first isolated in 1807. Potassium was the first metal to be isolated.
Sources
- "Potassium: Compounds Information." Potassium»compounds Information [WebElements Periodic Table]. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2015.
- "Periodic Table and the Elements." Chem4Kids.com: Elements & Periodic Table. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2015.
- "The Periodic Table." Periodic Table of Elements and Chemistry. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2015.
- "Potassium." - Element Information, Properties and Uses. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2015.
- Knapp, Brian. Sodium and Potassium. Danbury, CT: Grolier Educational, 1996. Print.
- Knapp, Brian. Potassium to Zirconium. Danbury, CT: Grolier Educational, 2002. Print.