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The element potasium is an essential element to human and plant life.
Potasium was discoved on October 6, 1807, when Sir Humphrey Davy
joined a piece of solid potasium to the poles of a battery which caused
the release of a battery which caused the rease of a metal at
the negative pole of a battery. He called this element Potassium
Potasium's physical properties as a metal are very recognizable.
This metal is the seventh most plentiful and makes up about 1.5%
of the earths crust by wieght. Potassium is a necessary constituent
for the growth of plants and is found in most soils. This element
is also vital to the human diet. Potassium is obtained through
electrolysis of the chloride or hydroxide, but is never found free
in nature. It is one of the most reactive and most electropositive
of the metals and exept for lithium. Potassium is the least dense known metal. It is so soft, and it is easily cut with a knife. Immediatly after a fresh surface is exposed, it has a silvery appearence. These are the physical properties of Potassium. |
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Potassium is essental to the bodys maintance and growth. A Potassium deficiency can be caused by vomiting and/or diarrhea, medications, and persperations. Some signs of potasium fefficiancy are: muscle weakness, mental confusion, fatiage, heart disturbance, irrability, and muscle cramps. Potassium's functions include acid base balance, if there is imbalance, the heart may beat irregularly. Both potasium and soudium are activily transported in and out of the cells body. They are both very water soluble and tend to disolve easily in cooking water. Foods that are cooked in this fashion are often much lower in nutrional value. There are several foods that contain potassium. Some of them are bananas and grapefruit.
From its beginning in 1807, until today, it has been used for many things. It is needed in the health of plants and humans alike. It is also found in friuts and vegstables. The soft metal Potassium has many physical and chimical properties, some that i sshared with other elements, some that it holds all its own.
