Potassium is the chemical element with atomic number 19, symbol K (from the Latin kalium)

Potassium is the chemical element with atomic number 19, symbol K (from the Latin kalium)

Potassium is the chemical element with atomic number 19, symbol K (from the Latin kalium)

Potassium is a soft, metallic-white, slightly bluish alkali metal that is naturally found bound to other elements in seawater and in many minerals. It oxidizes quickly on contact with air and reacts violently with water. It chemically resembles sodium.

In the periodic table, potassium is one of the alkali metals. All alkali metals have one valence electron in the outer shell, which is easily released to form a positively charged ion – a cation, which when combined with anions forms a salt. Potassium in nature is found only in ionic salts. Elemental potassium is a soft, silvery-white, alkaline metal that oxidizes rapidly in air and reacts violently with water, producing enough heat to ignite the hydrogen emitted in the reaction and burns with a purple flame. It is found dissolved in seawater (i.e. 0.04% potassium by weight), and is part of many minerals.

Potassium is chemically very similar to sodium, the preceding element in Group 1 of the periodic table. They have the same first ionization energy, which allows each atom to release its only outer electron. That they were different elements that combine with the same anions to make similar salts was suspected in 1702, and was proved in 1807 using electrolysis. Natural potassium consists of three isotopes, one of which, K is radioactive. Traces of K are found in all potassium, and it is the most common radioisotope in the human body.

Potassium ions are necessary for the function of all living cells. Transfer of K ions through nerve cell membranes is necessary for normal nerve transmission; Deficiency and excess of potassium can each result in many abnormalities, including abnormal heart rhythms and various electrocardiography abnormalities. Fresh fruit and vegetables are good sources of potassium. The body responds to the intake of dietary potassium, which increases serum potassium levels, by shifting potassium from outside into cells and increasing the excretion of potassium by the kidneys.

Read also: Foods Rich in Potassium (Kalium) | What Foods With Potassium in Them? Good For Heart And Bones

Most of the industrial applications, they exploit the high solubility of K compounds in water, such as K soap. Heavy crop production quickly depletes soil potassium, and this can be overcome with fertilizers containing potassium, which constitute 95% of global potassium production.

Health

Benefits

It is one of the most important minerals in the body. It helps regulate fluid balance, muscle contractions and nerve signals. What’s more, a high-potassium diet may help reduce blood pressure and water retention, protect against stroke and prevent osteoporosis and kidney stones.

They assist in a range of essential body functions, including:

  • blood pressure
  • normal water balance
  • muscle contractions
  • nerve impulses
  • digestion
  • heart rhythm
  • pH balance (acidity and alkalinity)
Deficiency

Certain conditions can cause deficiencies, or hypokalemia. These include:

  • kidney disease
  • overuse of diuretics
  • excessive sweating, diarrhea, and vomiting
  • magnesium deficiency
  • use of antibiotics, such as carbenicillin and penicillin

The symptoms of hypokalemia are different depending on how severe your deficiency is.

A temporary decrease in potassium may not cause any symptoms. For example, if you sweat a lot from a hard workout, your potassium levels may normalize after eating a meal or drinking electrolytes before any damage is done.

However, severe deficiencies can be life-threatening. Signs of deficiency include:

  • extreme fatigue
  • muscle spasms, weakness, or cramping
  • irregular heartbeat
  • constipation, nausea, or vomiting

Hypokalemia is usually diagnosed with a blood test. Your doctor may also order an electrocardiogram of your heart and an arterial blood gas test to measure pH levels in your body.

Overdose

Too much of it can cause hyperkalemia. This is rare in people who eat balanced diets. Risk factors for overdose include:

  • taking too many potassium supplements
  • kidney disease
  • prolonged exercise
  • cocaine use
  • potassium-conserving diuretics
  • chemotherapy
  • diabetes
  • severe burns

The most obvious symptom of too much of it is an abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia). Severe cases can lead to death. People with mild cases of high potassium rarely have noticeable symptoms. Your doctor should order occasional blood work if you have any risk factors.

Potassium in the periodic table

Atomic number (Z) 19
Group group 1: H and alkali metals
Period period 4
Block   s-block
Electron configuration [Ar] 4s1
Electrons per shell 2, 8, 8, 1

Physical properties

Physical properties
Phase at STP solid
Melting point 336.7 K ​(63.5 °C, ​146.3 °F)
Boiling point 1032 K ​(759 °C, ​1398 °F)
Density (near r.t.) 0.89 g/cm3
when liquid (at m.p.) 0.828 g/cm3
Critical point 2223 K, 16 MPa
Heat of fusion 2.33 kJ/mol
Heat of vaporization 76.9 kJ/mol
Molar heat capacity 29.6 J/(mol·K)

Atomic properties

Atomic properties
Oxidation states −1, +1 (a strongly basic oxide)
Electronegativity Pauling scale: 0.82
Ionization energies
  • 1st: 418.8 kJ/mol
  • 2nd: 3052 kJ/mol
  • 3rd: 4420 kJ/mol
Atomic radius empirical: 227 pm
Covalent radius 203±12 pm
Van der Waals radius 275 pm

Atomic data

Atomic radius, non-bonded (Å) 2.75 Covalent radius (Å) 2.00
Electron affinity (kJ mol−1) 48.385 Electronegativity
(Pauling scale)
0.82
Ionisation energies
(kJ mol−1)
 
1st
418.81
2nd
3051.83
3rd
4419.607
4th
5876.92
5th
7975.48
6th
9590.6
7th
11342.82
8th
14943.65

Other properties

Other properties
Natural occurrence primordial
Crystal structure ​body-centered cubic (bcc)
Speed of sound thin rod 2000 m/s (at 20 °C)
Thermal expansion 83.3 µm/(m·K) (at 25 °C)
Thermal conductivity 102.5 W/(m·K)
Electrical resistivity 72 nΩ·m (at 20 °C)
Magnetic ordering paramagnetic
Magnetic susceptibility +20.8·10−6 cm3/mol (298 K)
Young’s modulus 3.53 GPa
Shear modulus 1.3 GPa
Bulk modulus 3.1 GPa
Mohs hardness 0.4
Brinell hardness 0.363 MPa
CAS Number 7440-09-7

History

History
Discovery and first isolation Humphry Davy (1807)

Isotopes

Potassium (K) has 24 known isotopes with mass numbers varying between 32 and 55, as well as four nuclear isomers. K occurs in nature in the form of three isotopes: 39K (majority) and 41K, both stable, and a long-lived radioisotope (half-life of 1.248 billion years), 40K. Its standard atomic mass is 39.0983 (1) u. The other potassium radioisotopes all have a half-life of less than one day, and most of them less than one minute.

Main isotopes
Iso­tope Abun­dance Half-life (t1/2) Decay mode Pro­duct
39K 93.258% stable
40K 0.012% 1.248×109 y β 40Ca
ε 40Ar
β+ 40Ar
41K 6.730% stable

Periodic Table of Elements | Complete List of Chemical Elements by Group, Name, Symbol, Color and Type

Periodic table elements
Periodic Table of Elements | Complete List of Chemical Elements by Group, Name, Symbol, Color and Type

Sources: Royal Society of Chemistry,

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Photo explanations: pieces of potassium metal. Cut Potassium pieces from Dennis s.k collection.

cleverlysmart.com

Learn More →

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *