The chemical element potassium is a soft,light,silver white metal. it is one of the ALKALI METALS of Group la of the periodic table. its chemical symbol is K {from kalium, the Latinized version of the Arabic word for "alkali"}, its atomic number is 19,and its atomic weight is 39.098. potash, or potassium carbonate {K2CO3} was well known and had important industrial uses in glass manufacture well before 1700; it was often mistaken, however, for sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and only their decidedly different sources prevented total confusion. Sodium carbonate (soda) is most often found as a mineral, potash was originally derived from the ashes of vegetables materials. Even before the discovery and differentiation of potassium and sodium, potash and sodium carbonate could be identified by their crystal structures like quartz. On Oct. 6, 1807, Sir Humphry Davy connected a piece of solid potash to the poles of battery and causes the release of a new metal at the negative pole. He named it potassium, from potash, and within a short time had determined many of its physical and chemical properties.
Occurrence:
In cosmic abundance potassium is the 20th most common element; in solar abundance, 17th; and in the Earth's crust, 7th. About 2.6% of the Earth's crust consist of potassium. It is far too reactive to exist in the free state and thus occurs combined as compounds such as carnalite (KMgCl.6H2); orthoclase feldspar (KAlSi3O8), leucite [KAl(SiO3)2], potash mica [KH2Al2(SiO4)23], and kaolin. Commercial quantities of potassium can be recovered from the ashes of plants, which remove it from the soil, and from seawater.
Chemical Properties:
Potassium as an alkali metal, is one of the most reactive metals and forms only ionic bonds. It readily reacts with the halogens to form potassium halides and with oxygen to form potassium oxide, (K2O) and potassium peroxide (K2O2).
Potassium react with sodium to form an intermetalic compound, KNa2. It react violently with water and explosively both with acids and with liquid bromine and forms an explosive carbonyl, K2(OC=CO), with carbon monoxide. An animate mixture of 75% potassium nitrate (KNO3), 15% carbon (charcoal), and 10% sulfur is the "black powder", used as gunpowder for more than 2,200 years.
Occurrence:
In cosmic abundance potassium is the 20th most common element; in solar abundance, 17th; and in the Earth's crust, 7th. About 2.6% of the Earth's crust consist of potassium. It is far too reactive to exist in the free state and thus occurs combined as compounds such as carnalite (KMgCl.6H2); orthoclase feldspar (KAlSi3O8), leucite [KAl(SiO3)2], potash mica [KH2Al2(SiO4)23], and kaolin. Commercial quantities of potassium can be recovered from the ashes of plants, which remove it from the soil, and from seawater.
Chemical Properties:
Potassium as an alkali metal, is one of the most reactive metals and forms only ionic bonds. It readily reacts with the halogens to form potassium halides and with oxygen to form potassium oxide, (K2O) and potassium peroxide (K2O2).
Potassium react with sodium to form an intermetalic compound, KNa2. It react violently with water and explosively both with acids and with liquid bromine and forms an explosive carbonyl, K2(OC=CO), with carbon monoxide. An animate mixture of 75% potassium nitrate (KNO3), 15% carbon (charcoal), and 10% sulfur is the "black powder", used as gunpowder for more than 2,200 years.
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