Potassium’ is relatively familiar to us, but do you know what it is used for in society? This article introduces the properties and characteristics of potassium, its use in society and the etymology of the word!Learn about potassium together with easy-to-imagine images.

Properties and characteristics of Potassium

Potassium is a silvery-white, soft metallic element that can be cut with a knife.It is similar to sodium, but has a greater ionization tendency and is considerably more reactive.Its reactivity is such that it is easily oxidized in air.When placed in water, it instantly bursts with a pale purple flame.

How Potassium is used in society

Potassium is used as an ingredient in ‘fertilizers’, ‘potash soap’ and ‘matchstick tinder’.Let’s look at each of them.

Potassium is useful for “fertilizer”

Potassium is known as one of the three major fertilizers, along with nitrogen and phosphorus.In fertilizers, it is called ‘potash’, which helps to strengthen roots and stems and build resistance to pests and cold.

Potassium is useful for “potash soap”

Sodium salts are used in common soaps, but soaps with potassium salts, known as potash soaps, also exist.

Potassium soap is often in liquid or gel form and is used in hospitals for internal cleansing, because its large molecules allow it to wash the skin without irritating it.

Potassium is useful for “matchstick tinder”

The red part on the head of the matchstick contains potassium chlorate.

Rubbing a matchstick produces intense oxygen, which burns the matchstick in a combined reaction with other materials.

History of Potassium

Chemical symbol; K

English name:Potassium

The word Potassium is derived from potassi (caustic potash), which is plant ash.As for the discovery, Davy succeeded in isolating potassium in 1807 by electrolyzing caustic potash.The element symbol ‘K’ comes from the German word Kalium.

Summary

In this article, we have explained ‘ Potassium ‘.The key points of this article are as follows.

• Potassium is the soft metals, with a large ionization tendency to react.
• Used in ‘fertilizers’, ‘potash soap’, ‘matchstick gunpowder’, etc.
• The element symbol ‘K’ is taken from German.

The other elements studied in high school are summarized in the following articles.Please see also the following pages for a further understanding!