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Is potassium chloride the same as potassium?
Are the two potassiums different?
15 Answers
- Knick KnoxLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
No! One is KCl and the other is just plain K! Don't eat them, or you will barf. nm
- Anonymous5 years ago
Potassium is an element and is represented by K When potassium gets combined by reaction with another element like chlorine represented by Cl it forms a compound called potassium chloride or KCl for more info refer to the link below
- Anonymous1 decade ago
The two "potassiums" are not the same. The potassium in potassium chloride is the potassium ION. It is a potassium atom with one electron missing (this electron is residing on the chloride ion to which the potassium ion is bonded). It has very different chemical properties than potassium, which is a solid in its elemental state. For example, potassium is a highly reactive metal, while the potassium ion is quite stable. The ionic form dissolves in water, while the elemental form reacts very violently in water. As a general rule, species in their elemental form and their ionic forms do not have the same chemical or physical properties.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
Potassium Chloride is an ionic salt formed by the combination of Chlorine and Potassium. It is white when solid and dissolves easily in water.
Potassium is a single element in group 1 of the periodic table. It is a metal, Grey in colour and soft, you can cut it with a knife. It fizzes when dropped in water to form an alkali.
They are therefore completely different !
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- Anonymous1 decade ago
potassium is an element. Potassium Chloride is a salt made of Potassium and Chlorine.
You can get dietary potassium from KCl (the Chemical formula for Potassium Chloride) just as you can get sodium from NaCl (Sodium Chloride, or common table salt)
- 1 decade ago
Different stuff.. yep, potassium chloride is a salt and potassium is a solid metal that reacts violently with water.
And oh yeah, potassium chloride is used in lethal injection to stop the heart.
Source(s): I work in a lab.. - scott kLv 41 decade ago
Potassium chloride is a compound (Two or more elements chemically combined) wheras potassium by itself is one of the elements that make up that compound.
- 1 decade ago
No buddy potassium is an element(reactive metal) & potassium chloride is an ionic compound.
- Lady GeologistLv 71 decade ago
KCl is a salt made by the ionic bonding of potassium and chlorine ions.
Potassium itself is an element on the periodic table.
- 1 decade ago
You could check, just take some KCl and put it in water. Then take a chunk of Potassium metal and put it in water. See if anything different happens.
Source(s): Ive done this experiment (by accident) and set half my chem lab on fire. - 1 decade ago
yes they are different; potassium is a single element.
potassium chloride is two elements: potassium and chlorine.