Potassium

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Potassium is a chemical element in the periodic table. It has the symbol K. This is from the Latin word kalium. Potassium's atomic number is 19. Its melting point is 63 degrees celsius. It is an alkali metal. It acts in many chemical reactions like sodium. It is a very soft metal that can be cut. Potassium is a silvery white metal that tarnishes in air and produces an oxidized layer on the surface, which is why it is stored in oil.

The word potassium comes from the word "potash". Potash is a chemical that has been used for a very long time. It is used to make fertilizer, soap, and glass.

Potassium is very important to organisms. It helps the body send messages from cells to other cells. It helps biological membranes depolarize. This means go from a negative to a positive electrical charge. This is needed for muscles to contract (get more short and move things.) It is needed for the heart to beat (push blood through blood vessels.) If the potassium level in the blood it too high or too low it can cause death because the heart stops.