Potassium (K)
Bananas have lots of it! As a pure metal it is very jumpy.
Potassium facts
- Symbol
- K
- Atomic number
- 19
- Atomic mass
- 39.098
- Family
- Alkali metals
- Period
- 4
- Group
- 1
Famous reactions with potassium
- A liquid metal! Sodium meets PotassiumNaK (a liquid alloy) · At room temperature · Try it
- POP! Potassium meets WaterPotassium hydroxide + hydrogen gas 2K + 2H₂O → 2KOH + H₂ · At room temperature · Try it
What does potassium react with?
Potassium makes a new substance with 12 other elements and chemicals in our lab:
- Potassium + HydrogenPotassium hydride 2K + H₂ → 2KH · When heated · Try it
- Potassium + OxygenPotassium superoxide K + O₂ → KO₂ · When heated · Try it
- Potassium + FluorinePotassium fluoride 2K + F₂ → 2KF · At room temperature · Try it
- Potassium + PhosphorusPotassium phosphide 3K + P → K₃P · When heated · Try it
- Potassium + SulfurPotassium sulfide 2K + S → K₂S · When heated · Try it
- Potassium + ChlorinePotassium chloride 2K + Cl₂ → 2KCl · At room temperature · Try it
- Potassium + SeleniumPotassium selenide 2K + Se → K₂Se · When heated · Try it
- Potassium + BrominePotassium bromide 2K + Br₂ → 2KBr · At room temperature · Try it
- Potassium + TelluriumPotassium telluride 2K + Te → K₂Te · When heated · Try it
- Potassium + IodinePotassium iodide 2K + I₂ → 2KI · At room temperature · Try it
- Potassium + PoloniumPotassium polonide 2K + Po → K₂Po · Only in a special nuclear lab (it is radioactive) · Try it
- Potassium + Hydrochloric AcidPotassium chloride + hydrogen gas 2K + 2HCl → 2KCl + H₂ · At room temperature · Try it
It also blends into a mixture, like an alloy, with 73 other metals when melted together.
Nothing happens when it's simply mixed with 11 of the others. 21 pairings have never been tried, because not enough atoms have ever existed.