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<!doctype html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">  <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-ZK1E8XKBLT"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-ZK1E8XKBLT'); </script>  <title>WebElements Periodic Table » Potassium » biological information</title> <meta name="Description" content="This WebElements periodic table page contains biological information for the element potassium"> <meta name="keywords" content="potassium, biology, biological, hazards, abundances, chemistry, periodic table, periodic chart, periodic system, chemical elements, chemical, webelements, web-elements, Sheffield, science, element, elements, metal, gas, atoms"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="../_newlands/pure/pure-min.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" 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href="../sodium/biology.html">Na</a></th> <th class="navpanel-s"><a title="magnesium" href="../magnesium/biology.html">Mg</a></th> </tr> <tr> <th class="navpanel-v"> </th> <th class="navpanel-s">K</th> <th class="navpanel-s"><a title="calcium" href="../calcium/biology.html">Ca</a></th> </tr> <tr> <th class="navpanel-v"> </th> <th class="navpanel-s"><a title="rubidium" href="../rubidium/biology.html">Rb</a></th> <th class="navpanel-s"><a title="strontium" href="../strontium/biology.html">Sr</a></th> </tr> </table> </div> </li>  <li class="pure-menu-item v"> <div class="element_select_centre"><a class="imagelink" title="Switch to a different element from here" href="../index.html"><img class="" src="../_media/locs/K-loc.png" alt="Potassium location" /></a> </div> </li>  <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../actinium/biology.html">Actinium ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item p"><a class="pure-menu-link p" href="../aluminium/biology.html">Aluminium</a></li> <li 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href="../dubnium/biology.html">Dubnium ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../dysprosium/biology.html">Dysprosium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../einsteinium/biology.html">Einsteinium ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../erbium/biology.html">Erbium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../europium/biology.html">Europium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../fermium/biology.html">Fermium ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item p"><a class="pure-menu-link p" href="../flerovium/biology.html">Flerovium ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item p"><a class="pure-menu-link p" href="../fluorine/biology.html">Fluorine</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link s" href="../francium/biology.html">Francium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" 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href="../oxygen/biology.html">Oxygen</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../palladium/biology.html">Palladium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item p"><a class="pure-menu-link p" href="../phosphorus/biology.html">Phosphorus</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../platinum/biology.html">Platinum</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../plutonium/biology.html">Plutonium ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item p"><a class="pure-menu-link p" href="../polonium/biology.html">Polonium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link s" href="../potassium/biology.html">Potassium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../praseodymium/biology.html">Praseodymium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../promethium/biology.html">Promethium ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../protactinium/biology.html">Protactinium ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link s" href="../radium/biology.html">Radium ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item p"><a class="pure-menu-link p" href="../radon/biology.html">Radon ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../rhenium/biology.html">Rhenium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../rhodium/biology.html">Rhodium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../roentgenium/biology.html">Roentgenium ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link s" href="../rubidium/biology.html">Rubidium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../ruthenium/biology.html">Ruthenium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../rutherfordium/biology.html">Rutherfordium ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../samarium/biology.html">Samarium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../scandium/biology.html">Scandium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../seaborgium/biology.html">Seaborgium ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item p"><a class="pure-menu-link p" href="../selenium/biology.html">Selenium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item p"><a class="pure-menu-link p" href="../silicon/biology.html">Silicon</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../silver/biology.html">Silver</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link s" href="../sodium/biology.html">Sodium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link s" href="../strontium/biology.html">Strontium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item p"><a class="pure-menu-link p" href="../sulfur/biology.html">Sulfur</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item p"><a class="pure-menu-link p" href="../sulfur/biology.html">Sulphur</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../tantalum/biology.html">Tantalum</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../technetium/biology.html">Technetium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item p"><a class="pure-menu-link p" href="../tellurium/biology.html">Tellurium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item p"><a class="pure-menu-link p" href="../tennessine/biology.html">Tennessine ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../terbium/biology.html">Terbium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item p"><a class="pure-menu-link p" href="../thallium/biology.html">Thallium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../thorium/biology.html">Thorium ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../thulium/biology.html">Thulium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item p"><a class="pure-menu-link p" href="../tin/biology.html">Tin</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../titanium/biology.html">Titanium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../tungsten/biology.html">Tungsten</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../uranium/biology.html">Uranium ☢</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../vanadium/biology.html">Vanadium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item p"><a class="pure-menu-link p" href="../xenon/biology.html">Xenon</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item f"><a class="pure-menu-link f" href="../ytterbium/biology.html">Ytterbium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../yttrium/biology.html">Yttrium</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../zinc/biology.html">Zinc</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item d"><a class="pure-menu-link d" href="../zirconium/biology.html">Zirconium</a></li> </ul> </div> </div>  <div class="pure-g"> <div class="pure-u-1"> <div class="pure-menu pure-menu-open pure-menu-horizontal centre" role="navigation" style="background: #000 url(../_media/elements/discharge/K.png) repeat-y center; background-size:contain;"> <span><a class="pure-menu-heading" href="https://winter.group.shef.ac.uk/webelements/"><img height="30" src="../_media/icons/logo_60.png" alt="WebElements logo"></a> <a class="white" href="./">Potassium - <sub>19</sub>K</a>  <audio id="myAudio_f"> <source src="../_media/elements/snds_f/K.mp3" type="audio/mpeg">Your user agent does not support the HTML5 Audio element. </audio> <button class="pure-button s_button" style=" display: inline;" type="button" onclick="audf_play_pause()"> 🔊  </button> <script> function audf_play_pause() { var myAudiof = document.getElementById("myAudio_f"); if (myAudiof.paused) { myAudiof.play(); } else { myAudiof.pause(); }} </script></span> </div> </div> </div> <div id="main">  <div class="pure-u-1 pure-u-sm-1-1"> <div class="pure-menu pure-menu-horizontal pure-menu-scrollable"> <a href="#" class="pure-menu-link pure-menu-heading">▸▸</a> <ul class="pure-menu-list"> <li class="pure-menu-item">🇬🇧 Potassium</li> <li class="pure-menu-item">🇺🇦 Калій</li> <li class="pure-menu-item">🇨🇳 鉀</li> <li class="pure-menu-item">🇳🇱 Kalium</li> <li class="pure-menu-item">🇫🇷 Potassium</li> <li class="pure-menu-item">🇩🇪 Kalium</li> <li class="pure-menu-item">🇮🇱 אשלגן</li> <li class="pure-menu-item">🇮🇹 Potassio</li> <li class="pure-menu-item">🇯🇵 カリウム</li> <li class="pure-menu-item">🇵🇹 Potássio</li> <li class="pure-menu-item">🇪🇸 Potasio</li> <li class="pure-menu-item">🇸🇪 Kalium</li> <li class="pure-menu-item">🇷🇺 Калий</li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="pure-g"> <div class="pure-u-1 pure-u-sm-1-1"> <div class="google_navbar_positioning"> <form action="https://www.google.com" id="cse-search-box"> <div> <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="partner-pub-9334432533380510:6223510783"> <input type="hidden" name="ie" value="UTF-8"> <input type="text" name="q" size="28"> <input type="submit" name="sa" value="Search"> </div> </form> <script> </script> </div> </div> </div> <main> <div class="pure-g"> <div class="pure-u-1 pure-u-sm-1-1"> <h1 class="s">Potassium - <sub><small>19</small></sub>K: biological information</h1> <div class="pure-menu pure-menu-horizontal pure-menu-scrollable"> <ul class="pure-menu-list z_menu"> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a href="../potassium/" class="pure-menu-link">▸▸ K Essentials</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="../potassium/physics.html">Physical properties</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="../potassium/atoms.html">Electron shell data</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="../potassium/atom_sizes.html">Atom sizes</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="../potassium/electronegativity.html">Electronegativity</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="../potassium/isotopes.html" >Isotopes and NMR</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="../potassium/crystal_structure.html">Crystal structure</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="../potassium/thermochemistry.html">Thermochemistry</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="../potassium/history.html">History</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="../potassium/uses.html">Uses</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="../potassium/geology.html">Geology</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="../potassium/biology.html">Biology</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="../potassium/compounds.html">Binary compounds</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="../potassium/compound_properties.html" >Compound properties</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="../potassium/chemistry.html">Element reactions</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item s"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="../potassium/contents.html">List all K properties</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <p class="p_first">Potassium salts are essential for both animals and plants. The potassium cation (K<sup>+</sup>) is the major cation in intracellular (inside cells) fluids (sodium is the main extracellular cation). It is essential for nerve and heart function. A normal diet containing reasonable amounts of vegetables contains all the potassium necessary.</p> <h2 class="s">Levels in humans</h2> <p>The <a href="../periodicity/abund_humans/">abundances of the elements in humans</a>.</p> <ul> <li><a href="../periodicity/abund_humans/">Human abundance by weight</a>: 2000000 ppb by weight</li> <li><a href="../periodicity/abund_humans_a/">Human abundance by atoms</a>: 320000 atoms relative to C = 1000000</li> </ul> <h2 class="s">How much potassium is in your body? Find out here.</h2> <p class="p_first">You can use this form to calculate how much potassium your body contains. Enter your weight in either kilograms or pounds and click the "Calculate" button. You must enter a number, not text! <strong>Elements for which there are no data will always give a value of zero for the weight, no matter what you put in the weight box.</strong></p> <form name="wtform" method="post" action="calc"> <table class="pure-table"> <caption>Calculate how much potassium is in your body</caption> <tr><td>Enter your weight here: <input name="weight" type="text" value="0" size="10" title="Enter your weight here (must be a number!)" /> <select name="unit"><option value="1">kilograms</option><option value="2.2">pounds</option></select> <input type="button" value="Calculate!" onclick="calculate()" /></td> <td>You contain about :<input name="content" type="text" value="0" size="10" /> grams of potassium</td></tr> </table> </form> <div class="pure-g"> <div class="pure-u-1 pure-u-sm-1-1"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-9334432533380510" data-ad-slot="4479092381" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> </div> <figure><img class="pure-img" src= "../_media/periodicity/tables/periodic_table_heatscape_white/abund_humans_l_heat_w.png" alt="Image showing periodicity of the logarithm of the abundance of the chemical elements as a heat map on a periodic table grid." /><figcaption>Image showing periodicity of the logarithm of the abundance of the chemical elements as a heat map on a periodic table grid.</figcaption></figure> <figure><img class="pure-img" src= "../_media/periodicity/tables/periodic_table_cityscape_black/abund_humans_l_city_b.png" alt="Image showing periodicity of the logarithm of the abundance of the chemical elements as a cityscape on a periodic table grid." /><figcaption>Image showing periodicity of the logarithm of the abundance of the chemical elements as a cityscape on a periodic table grid.</figcaption></figure> <h2 class="s">Hazards and Risks</h2> <p class="p_first"><a href="../periodicity/hazards/">Hazards and risks</a> associated with potassium: <p class="p_first">Potassium metal is a major fire risk since it catches fire when reacting with water. Potassium salts are extremely toxic when injected. Vomiting (emesis) helps prevents toxic effects from ingestion of excess amounts of potassium.</p> <h2 class="s">References</h2> <ul> <li>J.E. Huheey, E.A. Keiter, and R.L. Keiter in <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/006042995X/webelements">Inorganic Chemistry : Principles of Structure and Reactivity</a></em>, 4th edition, HarperCollins, New York, USA, 1993.</li> <li> S. Budavari (Ed.) in <em>The Merck Index</em>, 11th ed., Merck, USA, 1989.</li> <li> N.N. Greenwood and A. Earnshaw in <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0750633654/webelements">Chemistry of the Elements</a></em>, 2nd edition, Butterworth, UK, 1997.</li> </ul> </main> <div id="footer"> <footer> <div class="footer"> <div class="pure-g"> <div class="pure-u-1-2 pure-u-sm-1-2 pure-u-lg-1-4 pure-menu custom-restricted-width"> <ul class="pure-menu-list"> <li class="pure-menu-heading footer_h">Key properties</li> <li class="pure-menu-item"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="https://www.webelements.com/periodicity/eneg_pauling/">Electronegativity </a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="https://www.webelements.com/periodicity/melting_point/">Melting point</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="https://www.webelements.com/periodicity/density/">Density </a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="https://www.webelements.com/periodicity/molar_volume/">Molar volume</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="https://www.webelements.com/periodicity/ionis_energy_1/">Ionization energy (1st)</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="https://www.webelements.com/periodicity/covalent_radius/">Covalent radius</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="https://www.webelements.com/periodicity/metallic_radius/">Metallic radius</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="https://www.webelements.com/periodicity/abund_crust/">Abundance: earth's crust</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="pure-u-1-2 pure-u-sm-1-2 pure-u-lg-1-4 pure-menu custom-restricted-width"> <ul class="pure-menu-list"> <li class="pure-menu-heading footer_h">Shop</li> <li class="pure-menu-item">Sorry, shop closed</li> </ul> </div> <div class="pure-u-1-2 pure-u-sm-1-2 pure-u-lg-1-4 pure-menu custom-restricted-width"> <ul class="pure-menu-list"> <li class="pure-menu-heading footer_h">Social</li> <li class="pure-menu-item"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="https://www.facebook.com/webelements.periodic.table">Facebook</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="https://twitter.com/periodic_table">Twitter</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="https://www.pinterest.com/periodictable/">Pinterest</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="pure-u-1-2 pure-u-sm-1-2 pure-u-lg-1-4 pure-menu custom-restricted-width"> <ul class="pure-menu-list"> <li class="pure-menu-heading footer_h">Administration</li> <li class="pure-menu-item"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="https://www.webelements.com/nexus/your-privacy/" title="Your privacy">Privacy</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="https://www.webelements.com/nexus/about-webelements/" title="About WebElements">About</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="https://www.webelements.com/nexus/webelements-and-copyright/" title="Copyright information about WebElements">Copyright</a></li> <li class="pure-menu-item"><a class="pure-menu-link" href="https://www.webelements.com/nexus/acknowledgements/" title="Acknowledgements">Thanks...</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <address> <p> <a href="https://www.webelements.com/"><img class="logo_m" src="../_media/icons/logo_60.png" alt="WebElements home" /></a><br /> <strong>WebElements:</strong> THE periodic table on the WWW [<a href="https://www.webelements.com/">www.webelements.com</a>]<br /> <a href="https://www.webelements.com/nexus/webelements-and-copyright/">Copyright </a> 1993-2024 <a href="https://winter.group.shef.ac.uk/">Mark Winter</a> [ <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/chemistry/">The University of Sheffield </a> and WebElements Ltd, UK]. 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