Potassium (K)
Potassium is a soft, reactive alkali metal essential for life. It plays key roles in nerve function and muscle contraction.
Properties of Potassium
- Atomic number
- 19
- Category
- Alkali Metal
- Atomic mass
- 39.098 u
- Electron configuration
- [Ar] 4s¹
- Melting point
- 336.7 K (63.55 °C)
- Boiling point
- 1032 K (758.85 °C)
- Density
- 0.862 g/cm³
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 0.82
- Appearance
- Silvery-white metal
- Discovered by
- Humphry Davy (1807)
Facts about Potassium
- Bananas are famous for having potassium, but avocados have even more!
- Potassium explodes violently when dropped in water — even more than sodium!
- Your heart needs potassium to beat properly!
- Potassium's symbol K comes from "kalium," its Latin name!