K Potassium     Atomic number : 19 
    Relative atomic mass (12C = 12.0000) :  39.0983 
    P H Y S I C A L     D A T A
Group 1 alkali metal
 
Density / kg m-3 :  862 [293 K]; 828 [liquid at m.p.]
 
Melting point / K :  336.80 
 
Boiling point / K :  1047
 
    D I S C O V E R Y
Isolated in 1807 by Sir Humphry Davy at London, England.
 
    G E O L O G I C A L     D A T A
Abundances
 
Sun (relative to H = 1 × 1012) : 1.45 × 105
 
Earth's crust / p.p.m. : 21 000
 
Residence time / years : 5 × 106
 
Classification : accumulating
 
Oxidation state : I
 
  
 
Seawater / p.p.m. :
    B I O L O G I C A L     D A T A
Level in humans
 
Blood / mg dm-3 : 1620
 
Bone / p.p.m. : 2100
 
Liver / p.p.m. : 16 000
 
Muscle / p.p.m. : 16 000
 
  
 
Daily dietary intake : 1400 - 1700 mg
 
Total mass of element
in average (70 kg) person :
140 g

 

NetElements II  

A portrait of potassium is available on the Visual Elements site. Up to 200 individual items of information on this element are available in The Elements.


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NetElements II last modified October 27th, 1999