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What are
the Properties of Potassium? Definition of Potassium
What is the definition of
Potassium? It is
a soft, silver-white, highly or
explosively reactive metallic element that occurs in nature only in compounds.. The
Physical and
Chemical Properties are the
characteristics of a substance, like Potassium, which distinguishes it from any
other substance. Most common substances exist as
States of Matter as solids, liquids, gases and plasma. Refer to the article on
Potassium for additional information and facts about this substance.
Potassium Properties
- What are the Physical Properties of Potassium?
What are the Physical
Properties of Potassium? The Physical properties of Potassium are the characteristics
that can be observed without changing the substance into another
substance. Physical properties are usually those that can be observed using our
senses such as color, luster, freezing point, boiling point, melting point, density, hardness and odor. The Physical Properties of Potassium are as follows:
|
What are the Physical Properties of Potassium? |
| Color |
Silver-white |
| Phase |
Solid |
|
Melting point |
Melting point of 63°C
(145°F) - very low for a metal |
| Color |
Silvery-white metal |
|
Density |
Less than water |
Potassium Properties - What are the Chemical Properties of Potassium?
What are the Chemical
Properties of Potassium?
They are the characteristics that
determine how it will react with other substances or change from
one substance to another. The better we know the nature of the substance the
better we are able to understand it. Chemical properties are only observable during a
chemical reaction. Reactions to substances may be brought
about by changes brought about by burning, rusting, heating, exploding, tarnishing
etc. The Chemical
Properties of Potassium are as follows:
|
What are the Chemical Properties of Potassium? |
| Chemical
Formula |
K |
|
Reactivity with water |
It reacts with water
violently and gives off hydrogen gas |
|
Reactivity |
It reacts readily with all
acids and with all non-metals, such as sulfur, chlorine, fluorine,
phosphorus, and nitrogen
Highly or explosively reactive |
| Compounds |
Useful compounds include
the bromide, KBr, the cyanide, KCN, Potassium carbonate K2CO3
Substances containing potassium impart a purple color to a flame |
|
Oxidation |
Rapidly oxidizes in air |
| Alloys |
Alloyed with sodium as a
cooling medium in nuclear reactors |
Facts and
Info about Potassium Properties
This article
on Potassium properties provide facts and information about the
physical and chemical properties of Potassium which are useful as
homework help for chemistry students. Additional facts and
information regarding the Periodic Table and the elements may be
accessed via the Periodic Table Site Map. |
