There are 25 known isotopes of potassium but only three like 39K, 40K, and 41K are found in nature. A massive deposit of potash is found in many places of the world like Germany, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The soluble minerals of the metal are called potash. Like sodium, K salts are also leached out from the silicon minerals by the action of the weather. Sylvite (KCl), sylvinite (KCl, NaCl), and Carnallite (KCl, MgCl 2, 6H 2O) are the most common ores of potassium metal. With the increasing atomic number, the elements become rare. Therefore, it is placed on the s-block of the periodic table with group members of hydrogen, lithium, sodium, rubidium, and francium.Īll the alkali metals like Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs are widely distributed in the earth’s crust of our nature. The valence shell electronic configuration of potassium 4s 1. Properties of Potassiumīody-centered cubic crystal lattice (bcc) Name, symbol, discovery, and some important properties of the elements are given below the table. This fact leads to the development of analytical chemistry for the estimation of metals by flame photometer. It gives a characteristic violet flame due to easy excitation of the outermost s-electron. The small electron affinity and electronegativity also lead to the formation of ionic compounds.
The large size and small charge of the cation favored the formation of ionic bonding in the compounds. Potassium has the largest size among the period-3 elements. Due to the very low first ionization energy, it loses one electron to form a K + cation. It has only one electron in the s-orbital over a noble gas core. The physical and chemical properties of potassium can be readily understood in terms of its outer electronic configuration. The large difference between the first and second ionization energy suggests the preferred oxidation number or state of the potassium will be +1. Potassium is Conductor of electricity.Many compounds of potassium have been used since the early days of human civilization. Hardness of Potassium - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element Mohs Hardness Refer to below table for Potassium Physical Properties DensityĠ.856 g/cm3(when liquid at m.p density is $0.828 g/cm3)
All possible symmetric arrangements of particles in three-dimensional space are described by the 230 space groups (219 distinct types, or 230 if chiral copies are considered distinct.
The symmetry properties of the crystal are described by the concept of space groups. The positions of the atoms inside the unit cell are described by the set of atomic positions ( x i, y i, z i) measured from a reference lattice point. The unit cell is represented in terms of its lattice parameters, which are the lengths of the cell edges Lattice Constants (a, b and c) aĪnd the angles between them Lattice Angles (alpha, beta and gamma). The unit Cells repeats itself in three dimensional space to form the structure. The Crystal structure can be described in terms of its unit Cell. The solid state structure of Potassium is Body Centered Cubic.