Element Family
Alkali
Alkali
Space Group Name
Im_ 3m
Im_ 3m
Interesting Facts
- In the list of most abundant element Potassium is ranked 7th.
- Potassium can easily be sliced (chopped) down using knife.
Cesium is the most alkaline metal and is used in atomic clocks.
Sources
Found in Minerals, Mining
Earth's crust, Found in Minerals, Mining, Ores of Minerals
Who Discovered
Humphry Davy
Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchhoff
Discovery
In 1807
In 1860
Abundance In Earth's Crust
Uses & Benefits
- Potassium’s compounds are in high demand for their application in Fertilizer manufacturing.
- Potassium carbonate is used in glass manufacturing and Potassium carbonate in manufacturing detergent and body wash.
- The most common use of cesium metal is as a drilling fluid. It is also used in optical glass manufacturing.
-
In vacuum tubes and radiation monitor equipment this metal is used as a catalyst promoter.
Industrial Uses
Ammunition Industry, Chemical Industry
Aerospace Industry, Automobile Industry, Electrical Industry, Electronic Industry
Medical Uses
Pharmaceutical Industry
-
Toxicity
Toxic
Mildly Toxic
Present in Human Body
Yes
Yes
Physical State
Solid
Solid
Color
Silvery Gray
Silvery Gold
Pauling Electronegativity
Sanderson Electronegativity
Allred Rochow Electronegativity
Mulliken-Jaffe Electronegativity
Pauling Electropositivity
Electrochemical Equivalent
Other Chemical Properties
Chemical Stability, Flammability, Ionization, Solubility
Chemical Stability, Corrosion, Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Solubility
Electron Configuration
[Ar] 4s1
[Xe] 6s1
Crystal Structure
Body Centered Cubic (BCC)
Body Centered Cubic (BCC)
Crystal Lattice
BCC-Crystal-Structure-.jpg#100
BCC-Crystal-Structure-.jpg#100
Valence Electron Potential
Lattice Angles
π/2, π/2, π/2
π/2, π/2, π/2
Density At Room Temperature
Density When Liquid (at m.p.)
Other Mechanical Properties
-
Ductile
Magnetic Ordering
Paramagnetic
Paramagnetic
Electrical Property
Conductor
Semiconductor