Among the chemical elements potassium allocated a number of its unique physical and chemical properties.For chemists it is of interest to its high activity.This material was immediately reacted with oxygen, heating the air causes it to fire, the product of this reaction becomes potassium superoxide.Interaction with water and acid solutions results in a rapid fire and even explosion.Potassium is able to recover the sulfuric acid to hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, and sulfur, nitric acid is reduced to nitrogen oxides and molecular nitrogen.
potassium in the periodic system takes cell number nineteen.His affiliation with alkali metals explains the silver-white color and high ductility of this material, it is easy to cut with a knife, and exhibits high chemical activity.This explains the fact that the nature of pure potassium does not occur.Among the substances in which potassium enters as a constituent element, the most common is the sea water, and it can be found in various minerals.The rapidity of this substance oxidation leads to the fact that potassium oxide (K2O formula) quickly switches to peroxide (K2O4).
Get potassium oxide by heating the metal can be up to 180 ° C in oxygen depleted environments, or by heating a mixture of metallic potassium superoxide.As part of oxide of potassium found in some types of cement and fertilizers.
potassium to the plant world is of great importance, it is one of the three basic building materials of organic compounds, in addition to nitrogen and phosphorus.With the level of potassium is associated fruiting and subsequent preservation of fruits and tubers.Potassium plays an important role in the transportation of sugar and in the formation of plant reserves, is manifested in the increase of starch in tubers, rhizomes and roots.Potassium has a positive impact on increasing the density of the tissues of plants, their stems.The absence of potassium leads to the fact that the plant is not able to properly absorb nitrogen.Plants consume potassium hydroxide.He interacts with a number of substances, ensuring normal functioning of the plant organism.
Lack of potassium in some soils is compensated by using a wide range of potash fertilizers.Their production is based on the use of natural deposits of potassium salts, minerals are called sylvinite and carnallite, a sulfuric acid salts of potassium include shenit, Cain and Langbein.Using minerals allows to obtain a fertilizer with a high concentration of potassium.
The most common fertilizer, which includes potassium oxide, a potassium salt.This mixture is finely ground mineral composition of natural origin sylvite and potassium chloride.Potassium oxide is 40%.
substance with strong basic properties able to rapidly respond not only with acids, acid oxides, and even water.Properties of the compound to exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen is widely used in gas masks insulating operation principle, and submarines.Poglotitetelem in this case acts as an equimolar mixture of sodium peroxide and potassium superoxide.If not in excess of an equimolar mixture of sodium peroxide gas absorbs more than its allocated.Two volume of carbon dioxide is released one volume of oxygen.Thus in a confined space pressure falls.Excess potassium superoxide has the effect of absorption of the two volumes of carbon dioxide with the release of the three volumes of oxygen, the pressure will rise.Equimolar mixture of the equation allows for volume absorbed and released gases.
As a strong oxidizing agent, peroxides are used in the textile industry for the bleaching of fabrics.
