 Discovery Information |
| Who:
Sir Humphrey Davy
|
| When: 1807 |
| Where: England |
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| Name Origin |
| From potash (pot ash); K from latin: kalium |
|
| Sources |
| Found in minerals like carnallite and sylvite (KCl). Potassium makes up about 2.40% of the weight of the Earth's crust, it is the seventh most abundant element. The main sources of potash are mined in USA (California, New Mexico and Utah) and Germany., |
|
| Uses |
| Used as potash (potassium carbonate) in making glass, soap, lenses and salt substitute. Also as potassium nitrate (KNO3, also called saltpeter) it is used to make explosives and to color fireworks in mauve. |
|
| Notes |
| Solid potassium reacts violently with water, and should therefore be kept under a mineral oil such as kerosene and handled with care. Unlike lithium and sodium however, potassium cannot be stored under oil indefinitely. If stored longer than 6 months to a year, dangerous shock-sensitive peroxides can form on the metal and under the lid of the container that can detonate upon opening. |
| Potassium is a necessary mineral in daily nutrition; it assists in muscle contraction and in maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance in body cells. |
| Formerly called kalium hence the symbol 'K'. |
