CHEMystery: The Periodic Table of the Elements

<BODY BGCOLOR=#000000 TEXT=#FFFFFF LINK=#FF7F00 VLINK=#00CFCF ALINK=#FFFF00> <B><SMALL> <A HREF=".." TARGET="_parent">Return</A> to the Main CHEMystery Page.<BR> <A HREF="../pertable" TARGET="_parent">Return</A> to the Periodic Table of the Elements<BR> </SMALL></B> <H1><FONT FACE="Arial"><I>Element 19 - Potassium (K) <A HREF="19.wav"><IMG SRC="sound.gif" ALT="sound" BORDER=0 ALIGN=top></A></I></FONT></H1> From potash, an impure form of potassium carbonate known to the ancients; symbol K from its Latin name <I>kalium</I>, discovered 1807. Seventh most abundant element in the earth's crust. Its radioactivity, though mild, may be one natural cause of genetic mutation in man. <HR> <CENTER><TABLE BORDER=1 CELLPADDING=2 CELLSPACING=2> <TR><TD COLSPAN=2><CENTER><H3><FONT FACE="Arial">Properties</FONT></H3></CENTER></TD></TR> <TR> <TD><A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#atomicnumber" TARGET="_parent">Atomic Number</A>:</TD> <TD>19<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#atomicweight" TARGET="_parent">Atomic Weight</A>:</TD> <TD>39.0983<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#electronconfiguration" TARGET="_parent">Electron Configuration</A> (at ground state):</TD> <TD>1s<SUP>2</SUP>2s<SUP>2</SUP>2p<SUP>6</SUP>3s<SUP>2</SUP>3p<SUP>6</SUP>4s<SUP>1</SUP><BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#oxidationstate" TARGET="_parent">Oxidation States</A> (Bold most stable):</TD> <TD><B>+1</B><BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#boilingpoint" TARGET="_parent">Boiling Point</A> (K):</TD> <TD>1033<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>Melting Point (K):</TD> <TD>336.8<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#density" TARGET="_parent">Density</A> (at 300K -- g/cm<SUP>3</SUP>):</TD> <TD>0.86<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>Atomic Volume (at 300K -- cm<SUP>3</SUP>/mol) <TD>45.30<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>Number of stable <A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#isotopes" TARGET="_parent">isotopes</A>:</TD> <TD>2<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>Number of natural <A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#radioactivity" TARGET="_parent">radioactive</A> isotopes:</TD> <TD>1<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD> <A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#massnumber" TARGET="_parent">Mass Number</A> (Bold naturally occurring) -- <A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#halflife" TARGET="_parent">Half-Life</A> -- <A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#radioactivedisintegrationseries" TARGET="_parent">Disintigration Type</A>: </TD> <TD> <B>40</B> -- 1.28 x 10<SUP>9</SUP> years -- orbital <A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#electroncapture" TARGET="_parent">electron capture</A><BR> 42 -- 12.36 hours -- <A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#betaparticle" TARGET="_parent">beta particle</A> (<A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#electron" TARGET="_parent">electron</A>) emission<BR> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>Covalent Radius (Å):</TD> <TD>2.03<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>Atomic Radius (Å):</TD> <TD>2.35<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>First <A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#ionizationenergy" TARGET="_parent">Ionization Potential</A> (V):</TD> <TD>4.341<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#electronegativity" TARGET="_parent">Electronegativity</A> (Pauling's):</TD> <TD>0.82<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#specificheat" TARGET="_parent">Specific Heat</A> Capacity (at 300K -- J g<SUP>-1</SUP> K<SUP>-1</SUP>):</TD> <TD>0.757<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>Heat of Vaporization (kJ/mol):</TD> <TD>76.9<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>Heat of Fusion (kJ/mol):</TD> <TD>2.33<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>Electrical Conductivity (at 293K for polycrystalline material -- 10<SUP>6</SUP> <IMG SRC="../misc/oomega.gif" ALT="(ohms)"><SUP>-1</SUP> cm<SUP>-1</SUP>):</TD> <TD>16.4<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>Thermal Conductivity (at 300K -- W m<SUP>-1</SUP> K<SUP>-1</SUP>):</TD> <TD>102.5<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>Crystal Structure:</TD> <TD><IMG SRC="cubic-body.gif" ALIGN=middle> Cubic, body centered<BR></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#acid" TARGET="_parent">Acid</A>-<A HREF="../reference/glossary.html#base" TARGET="_parent">Base</A> Properties:</TD> <TD><IMG SRC="very-basic.gif" ALIGN=middle> Very basic<BR></TD> </TR> </TABLE></CENTER> <HR> <CENTER> <A HREF="ptbl_bar.map"><IMG SRC="ptbl_bar.gif" ALT="The Periodic Table of the Elements" BORDER=0 WIDTH=579 HEIGHT=49 ISMAP></A> </CENTER> </BODY>