Page 32 - The Periodic Table Book

19
K Potassium

Discovery: 1807
19 19 20 State: Solid
This glass case holding pure
Alkali Metals Forms This mineral potassium has no air in it, Laboratory sample green colour comes
The yellow and
preventing the metal from
of pure potassium
reacting with oxygen in air.
in an airless vial
from impurities.
is rich in
potassium chloride.

Soft and
shiny solid This mineral contains
potassium chloride, which
gives it a salty taste.

Sylvite

Potash

Potassium was first found in the dust of element’s chemical symbol, K, is taken from
burnt plants. It was discovered by Sir Humphry kalium, a Latin word for “ash”. Potassium is never
Davy when he experimented with potash – found pure in nature, but is present in minerals
a mixture of substances made from the ash such as aphthitalite and sylvite. Potassium is
of burnt plants soaked in water. The name vital for the human body, helping muscles and
30 potassium comes from potash but the nerves work properly. For this, we rely on

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