Potassium (K): Fun Facts and Information About the Element

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Fun Facts about Potassium

What is the symbol? K
What is the atomic number? 19
What is the atomic weight? 39.0983
What is the melting point in Celsius? 64
What is the boiling point in Celsius? 774
What is the density (g/cm3)? 0.86
What percent of the earths crust? 2.58
What year was it discovered? 1807
Who discovered the element? Sir Humphry Davy
What group is the element in? 1
What is the electron configuration? [Ar] 4s1
What is the ionization energy? 4.3407
What element category is it in? Alkali metals

Where is Potassium Found?

The metal is the seventh most abundant and makes up about 2.4% by weight of the earth’s crust.

Certain minerals, however, such as sylvite, carnallite, langbeinite, and polyhalite are found in ancient lake and sea beds and form rather extensive deposits from which potassium and its salts can readily be obtained. Potash is mined in Germany, New Mexico, California, Utah, and elsewhere. Large deposits of potash, found at a depth of some 3000 ft in Saskatchewan, promise to be important in coming years. Potassium is also found in the ocean, but is present only in relatively small amounts, compared to sodium.

What is Potassium Used For?

The greatest demand for potash has been in its use for fertilizers. Potassium is an essential constituent for plant growth and is found in most soils.

An alloy of sodium and potassium (NaK) is used as a heat-transfer medium. Many potassium salts are of utmost importance, including the hydroxide, nitrate, carbonate, chloride, chlorate, bromide, iodide, cyanide, sulfate, chromate, and dichromate.

Resource by B.Sobey

I am a recent masters graduate from FL. I enjoy the beach, traveling, and writing. I just moved to South Carolina in hopes to find a job as a journalist.

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