From Conservapedia | Potassium | |
|---|---|
| Properties | |
| Atomic symbol | K |
| Atomic number | 19 |
| Classification | Alkali metal |
| Atomic mass | 39.10 amu |
| Other Information | |
| Date of discovery | 1807 |
| Name of discoverer | Davy, Sir Humphrey |
| Name origin | From the Latin Kalium |
| Uses | important biological role, and used in numerous industrial processes |
| Obtained from | sylvite, sylvinite, carnallite |
Potassium is an element[1] in the alkali metals class of the periodic table. It is so chemically active that it is never found free (in elemental form) in nature. In its elemental form, it reacts with water, forming potassium hydroxide and hydrogen gas, so violently that the hydrogen usually catches fire. It reacts with the halogens to make halides like potassium chloride.
Its existence as "potash" or "vegetable alkali" (potassium carbonate), "caustic potash" (potassium hydroxide), etc., had long been known, but it was not isolated as an element until 1807, by Sir Humphrey Davy. It was isolated by electrolysis of potassium hydroxide.
The radioactive decay of potassium provides a method of radiometric dating called potassium-argon dating that is used to calculate the ages of volcanic rocks.
| Periodic Table of the Elements | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | |||||||
1
H 1.008 |
2
He 4.003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
3
Li 6.939 |
4
Be 9.0122 |
5
B 10.811 |
6
C 12.011 |
7
N 14.007 |
8
O 15.999 |
9
F 18.998 |
10
Ne 10.183 | |||||||||||||||||
11
Na 22.99 |
12
Mg 24.312 |
13
Al 26.982 |
14
Si 28.086 |
15
P 30.974 |
16
S 32.064 |
17
Cl 35.453 |
18
Ar 39.948 | |||||||||||||||||
19
K 39.102 |
20
Ca 40.08 |
21
Sc 44.956 |
22
Ti 47.9 |
23
V 50.942 |
24
Cr 51.996 |
25
Mn 54.938 |
26
Fe 55.847 |
27
Co 58.933 |
28
Ni 58.71 |
29
Cu 63.546 |
30
Zn 65.37 |
31
Ga 69.72 |
32
Ge 72.59 |
33
As 74.922 |
34
Se 78.96 |
35
Br 79.904 |
36
Kr 83.8 | |||||||
37
Rb 85.47 |
38
Sr 87.62 |
39
Y 88.905 |
40
Zr 91.22 |
41
Nb 92.906 |
42
Mo 95.94 |
43
Tc [97] |
44
Ru 101.07 |
45
Rh 102.91 |
46
Pd 106.4 |
47
Ag 107.87 |
48
Cd 112.4 |
49
In 114.82 |
50
Sn 118.69 |
51
Sb 121.75 |
52
Te 127.6 |
53
I 126.9 |
54
Xe 131.3 | |||||||
55
Cs 132.91 |
56
Ba 137.34 |
57*
La 138.91 |
72
Hf 178.49 |
73
Ta 180.95 |
74
W 183.85 |
75
Re 186.2 |
76
Os 190.2 |
77
Ir 192.2 |
78
Pt 195.09 |
79
Au 196.97 |
80
Hg 200.59 |
81
Tl 204.37 |
82
Pb 207.19 |
83
Bi 208.98 |
84
Po 210 |
85
At 210 |
86
Rn 222 | |||||||
87
Fr 215 |
88
Ra 226.03 |
89**
Ac 227.03 |
104
Rf [261] |
105
Db [262] |
106
Sg [266] |
107
Bh [264] |
108
Hs [265] |
109
Mt [268] |
110
Dt [271] |
111
Rg [272] |
112
Cn [277] |
113
Nh [284] |
114
Fv [289] |
115
Mc [288] |
116
Lv [292] |
117
Ts [293] |
118
Og [294] |
|||||||
| *Lanthanides | 58
Ce 140.12 |
59
Pr 140.91 |
60
Nd 144.24 |
61
Pm 145 |
62
Sm 150.35 |
63
Eu 151.96 |
64
Gd 157.25 |
65
Tb 158.92 |
66
Dy 162.5 |
67
Ho 164.93 |
68
Er 167.26 |
69
Tm 168.93 |
70
Yb 173.04 |
71
Lu 174.97 |
||||||||||
| **Actinides | 90
Th 232.04 |
91
Pa 231 |
92
U 238.03 |
93
Np 237.05 |
94
Pu 239.05 |
95
Am 241.06 |
96
Cm 244.06 |
97
Bk 249.08 |
98
Cf 252.08 |
99
Es 252.08 |
100
Fm 257.1 |
101
Md 258.1 |
102
No 259.1 |
103
Lr 262.11 |
||||||||||
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