25 Potassium Uses: Facts You Should Know!

Potassium is represented by symbol K and having atomic number 19. It is s block, period 4 element electronic configuration as [Ar]4s¹. Let us study different uses of potassium (K).

• Potassium is the first metal isolated by electrolysis
• Potassium is the 17^th most abundant element in earth by weight and 20^th most abundant element in the entire solar system.
• Potassium ions are important for the functioning of all living cells
• Potassium have a variety of applications in the field of fertilizers, food additives and industrial.

The stable compounds of potassium: potassium sorbate, potassium hydroxide, potassium nitrate and potassium permanganate have a wide variety of applications. This articles reviews uses of these different forms of potassium.

Potassium sorbate uses

Potassium sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid, having chemical formula C₆H₇KO₂. It is wide applications which include food, personal care products etc. Few of the uses are discussed below:

• C₆H₇KO₂ is used to prevent the growth of yeasts and molds in many food items such as cheese, baked good, yogurt, wine, apple cider etc.
• C₆H₇KO₂ is found in ingredients list of different dried fruit products.
• C₆H₇KO₂ helps to prevent microbes, molds and increase shelf life of herbal dietary supplementary products.
• Many industries use this preservative as a replacement of parabens.

Potassium hydroxide uses

Potassium hydroxide commonly referred as caustic potash is an inorganic compound with chemical formula KOH. It has numerous industrial and specialised uses, the majority of which make use of its caustic properties and acid reactivity. The application of KOH are discussed below.

• Many potassium salts are made using KOH via neutralisation reactions.
• The acids or oxides reacts with KOH to form potassium salts of cyanide, carbonate, phosphate etc.
• Potassium salts are prepared by the saponification of fats with KOH.
• In food industry, KOH acts as pH control agent, food thickener and food stabilizer.
• KOH is used in semiconductor chip fabrication.
• Aqueous KOH is used as electrolyte in alkaline batteries based on nickel-hydrogen, nickel –cadmium, and manganese dioxide zinc.
• The corrosive properties of KOH is useful catalyst in preparations and agents that clean and disinfect materials and surfaces.

Potassium nitrate uses

Potassium nitrate commonly referred as Indian saltpetre is an alkali metal nitrate salt with chemical formula KNO₃. The applications of KNO₃ are discussed on detail.

• KNO₃ is used in the production of nitric acid by reacting it with sulphuric acid.
• KNO₃ is often used as oxidizer in blackpowder.
• It is a common ingredient of salted meat.
• KNO₃ is used in fertilizers as a source of potassium and nitrogen.
• It is used as an electrolyte in salt bridge.
• It works as an aluminium cleaner.  

Potassium permanganate uses

Potassium permanganate is purplish black inorganic salt with chemical formula KMnO₄. It is widely used in laboratories and chemical industry. The oxidising characteristics of potassium permanganate are used in almost all applications. The applications are explored in detail.

• KMnO₄ is employed as a chemical regeneration reactant to get rid of iron and hydrogen sulphide from well water.
• KMnO₄ is majorly used as a reagent in the synthesis of organic compounds.
• It is used in testing presence of unsaturation in qualitative organic analysis.
• The standardized aqueous solution of KMnO₄ is used as an oxidizing titrant for redox titrations.
• It is one of the important chemical used in televisions and film industries to set dressings and age props.
• The aqueous solution of KMnO₄ is used in collecting gaseous mercury from flue gas.
• It is used to determine the total oxidizable organic material in aqueous sample, referred as permanganate value.

Conclusion

Potassium is the second lightest metal, more than 25 isotopes have been identified till date. Potassium element is an important component of plant nutrition and found in many soil types. The different forms of potassium are mainly used in the field of agriculture, fertilizers, food etc.

Read more about following:

Samarium Properties Thallium Uses Silver Uses Aluminium Oxide Uses Methanol Uses Hydrogen Sulfide Uses Chlorine Monofluoride Use Bismuth Uses Krypton Uses Acetone Uses Thulium Uses Diazomethane Uses Aluminum Fluoride Uses Sulphuric acid Uses Glycerol Uses Iodic Acid Uses Germanium Tetrachloride Uses Potassium Perchlorate Uses Tantalum Uses Hydrazine Uses Sodium Sulfate Uses Sodium Sulfide Uses Mercury Bromide Uses Chloramine Uses Chlorine monoxide Uses Calcium Iodide Niobium Uses Phosphorous Tribromide Uses Heptane Uses

Terbium Uses Tellurium Uses Benzoic Acid Uses Phosphorus Uses  Sulphuric Acid Uses Tin Uses Magnesium Uses Titanium Uses Manganese Uses Hydrogen Chloride Uses Fluorine Uses Hexane Uses Diiodomethane Uses Gallium Hydride Uses Trichlorofluoromethane Uses Calcium Bromide Uses Calcium Sulfide Uses Methane Uses Holmium Uses Samarium Uses Iodine Uses Barium Sulfide Uses Promethium Uses Sodium Hypochlorite Uses Barium Oxide Tungsten Uses Hexanoic Acid Uses Hydroxylamine Uses

Indium Uses Helium Uses Carbon Tetra bromide Uses Barium Carbonate Uses Borane Uses Crotonaldehyde Uses Americium Uses Praseodymium Uses Neodymium Uses Platinum Uses Sodium Carbonate Uses Curium Uses Calcium Fluoride Uses Technetium Uses Barium Chloride Uses Iron Sulfide Uses Einsteinium Uses Zirconium Uses Polonium Uses Thorium Uses Chlorine dioxide Uses Sodium Sulfite Uses Radium Uses Iodine Monochloride Iron Oxide Aluminium Hydride Uses Water Uses Nitryl Chloride Uses

Iron Uses Hafnium Uses Xenon Uses Silicon Uses Methylamine Uses Chromium Oxide Uses Carbon Tetrafluoride Uses Ruthenium Uses Acetone Uses Cyanogen Chloride Uses Hypochlorous Acid Uses Copper Uses Boron Nitride Uses Dichlorodifluoromethane Uses Carboxylic Acid Uses Uranium Uses Dysprosium Uses Lithium Fluoride Uses Plutonium Uses Magnesium Iodide Uses Magnesium Bromide Uses Zinc Uses Hydrazoic Acid Uses Propionic Acid Uses Sulfur Dibromide Sulphur Bromide Uses Formic Acid Uses Boron Trifluoride Uses

Nickel Uses Potassium Uses Scandium Uses Acetic Acid Uses Rhenium Uses Magnesium Hydride Uses Argon Uses Cadmium Uses Hydrogen Chloride Uses Europium Uses Potassium sulfide Uses Aluminum Sulfide Uses Carbonyl Sulfide Uses Vanadium Uses Mercuric Chloride Uses Barium Nitride Uses Sodium Oxide Uses Magnesium Fluoride Uses Yttrium Uses Krypton Difluoride Uses Gallium Uses Chlorine Trifluoride Uses Gasoline Uses Osmium Uses Calcium Sulfate Phosphine Uses Germanium Uses Chlorine Fluoride Uses