Potassium element family11/21/2023 ![]() In the modern day, potash is mined, with 35 million metric tons pulled from the Earth each year, according to the RSC. Plants are rich in potassium, so people would collect wood ash and leech out the potassium salts for use in fertilizer. The word "potash" comes from "pot ash," harkening back to the original method of production of these salts. Potash, a generic term for any salt containing water-soluble potassium, is a major ingredient in fertilizers. Potassium alum (KAI(SO 4) 2) might show up in your deodorant (it inhibits bacterial growth) or in textile and leather production. Saltpeter (potassium nitrate) was used to preserve food in the Middle Ages and is part of gunpowder, which was invented in ninth-century China. It's not surprising that humans have made use of this resource. Most common isotopes: K-39 (93.3 percent natural abundance), K-40 (0.0117 percent natural abundance), K-41 (6.73 percent natural abundance)Ībout 2.4 percent of the mass of Earth's crust is potassium, including billions of tons of potassium chloride, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |