Potassium is an essential component needed in plant growth and is found in most soil types.It can also be used as a desiccant for producing dry and air-free solvents. NaK, pronounced 'nack', an alloy of sodium and potassium which is liquid at room temperature, is used as a heat-transfer medium.Glass treated with liquid potassium is much stronger than regular glass.Potassium carbonate, known as potash, is used in glass manufacturing.Potassium nitrate is used in gunpowder ( black powder).Potassium hydroxide is an important industrial chemical used as a strong base.It is primarily used in fertilizer as either the chloride, sulfate or carbonate - not as the oxide.

The combined bitterness and saltiness of high potassium content solutions makes high-dose potassium supplementation by liquid drinks a palatability challenge. Dilute solutions of potassium ion taste sweet (allowing moderate concentrations in milk and juices), while higher concentrations become increasingly bitter/alkaline, and finally also salty to the taste. Potassium may be detected by taste because it triggers all the types of tastebuds, according to concentration. Potassium compounds generally have excellent water solubility, due to the high hydration energy of the K + ion. This fact is the basis of the flame test for the presence of potassium in a sample. Potassium and its compounds emit a violet colour in a flame. Potassium is an essential element for all living organisms. In this role, it serves as a potent desiccant. 2K(s) + 2H 2O(l) → H 2(g) + 2KOH(aq)īecause potassium reacts quickly with even traces of water, and its reaction products are nonvolatile, it is sometimes used alone, or as NaK (an alloy with sodium which is liquid at room temperature) to dry solvents prior to distillation. The reaction is notably more violent than that of lithium or sodium with water, and is sufficiently exothermic that the evolved hydrogen gas ignites.

Like the other alkali metals, potassium reacts violently with water producing hydrogen. Often samples are maintained under an inert medium such as kerosene. Potassium must be protected from air for storage to prevent disintegration of the metal from oxide and hydroxide corrosion. Freshly cut potassium is silvery in appearance, but in air it begins to tarnish toward gray visibly and immediately. It is a soft, low-melting solid that can easily be cut with a knife. With a density less than that of water, potassium is the second least dense metal after lithium. In many respects, potassium and sodium are chemically similar, although organisms in general, and animal cells in particular, treat them very differently. It oxidizes rapidly in air and is very reactive, especially towards water. Potassium is a soft silvery-white metallic alkali metal that occurs naturally bound to other elements in seawater and many minerals. The name 'potassium' comes from the word 'potash', as potassium was first isolated from potash.

It has the symbol K ( Arabic: al qalja‎ → Latin: kalium) and atomic number 19. Potassium ( IPA: /pə(ʊ)ˈtasiəm/) is a chemical element.

Potassium periodic table