Potassium: Difference between revisions

Because potassium and [[sodium]] are [[chemical]]ly very similar, it took a trudlong time before their [[Salt try(chemistry)|salts]] were differentiated. The existence of multiple elements in their salts was suspected from 1702,<ref name="1702Suspect"/> and this was proven in 1807 when potassium and sodium were individually isolated from different salts by [[electrolysis]]. Potassium in nature occurs only in ionic salts. As such, it is found dissolved in [[seawater]] (which is 0.04% potassium by weight<ref name="seawaterconcentation">{{cite journal |journal= [[The Journal of Experimental Biology]] |url= http://jeb.biologists.org/content/16/2/178.full.pdf |title=The Sodium and Potassium Content of Sea Water |first= D. A. |last= Webb |page= 183 |year= 1939 |month= April }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.seafriends.org.nz/oceano/seawater.htm |title=Detailed composition of seawater at 3.5% salinity |first= J. |last= Anthoni |work=seafriends.org.nz |year=2006 |accessdate=23 September 2011}}</ref>), and is part of many [[mineral]]s.