Explore potassium sulfate. Understand how the formula for potassium sulfate is written and discover its uses. See the properties of potassium sulfate.
The potassium atoms in potassium sulfate form ionic bonds with the polyatomic ion called sulfate. A polyatomic ion is a group of two or more atoms covalently bonded together carrying a positive or negative net charge. The sulfate ion ({eq}SO_{4}^{2-} {/eq}) is made of one atom of sulfur covalently bonded to four atoms of oxygen. Sulfate carries a net charge of {eq}2^{-} {/eq}. It is referred to as an anion since it carries a negative charge.
Potassium is located in group one of the periodic table. This means potassium has one valence electron. When potassium forms a bond, it will lose this valence electron and form a {eq}1^{+} {/eq} ion. In order to write the formula for potassium sulfate ({eq}K_{2}SO_{4} {/eq}) the charges on potassium and sulfate are crossed as shown below. This produces the neutral compound {eq}K_{2}SO_{4} {/eq}.
Criss-Cross Method
In the formula for potassium sulfate {eq}K_{2}SO_{4} {/eq} there are two atoms of potassium, one sulfur atom, and four oxygen atoms.
The image below is a 3-D picture of potassium sulfate. Note there are two blue spheres representing the two potassium atoms in the compound. The red spheres represent oxygen atoms and the yellow sphere represents the sulfur atom.
3-D Model of Potassium Sulfate Ions
Potassium sulfate has the following physical and chemical properties:
Over 90% of the potassium sulfate produced in the United States is used in fertilizers. Plants need both potassium and sulfur in order to yield a maximum number of healthy crops. Potassium aids plants in activating enzyme reactions, synthesizing proteins, forming starch and sugars, and regulating the flow of water in both cells and leaves. When these nutrients are lacking in the soil, fertilizers must be used. Potassium sulfate provides potassium for the plants. The sulfur found in potassium sulfate is also used as a nutrient by plants which is required for protein synthesis and proper enzyme function to occur.
Most conventional fertilizers use potassium chloride (KCl). Potassium chloride is much less expensive to produce and more soluble in water. This makes it a suitable fertilizer for irrigation and foliar spray (fertilizer sprayed on plants). Some crops such as coffee, tea, tobacco, citrus fruits, grapes, and potatoes are sensitive to chloride making potassium sulfate a more suitable fertilizer.
About 8% of the potassium sulfate produced in the United States is added as a supplement in animal feeds.
The remainder of potassium sulfate produced in the United States is used for the following:
Potassium sulfate is widely used to reduce muzzle flash. Muzzle flash is a bright light produced from the muzzle of the gun when hydrogen in the propellant mixes with oxygen in the air. This flash can be undesirable if you are shooting in the dark and want to be hidden. Adding potassium sulfate to gunpowder can help reduce muzzle flash. Potassium sulfate reduces the reactivity between hydrogen in the propellant gases and oxygen in the air.
The potassium element in potassium sulfate is used in pyrotechnics as it helps oxidize firework mixtures. Potassium compounds containing oxygen can increase oxygen levels providing a large explosion.
Potassium sulfate is an odorless, colorless, or white granular, crystalline, or powdery solid. It is an ionic compound made of two potassium atoms, one sulfur atom, and four oxygen atoms. It has the chemical formula {eq}K_{2}SO_{4} {/eq}. Potassium sulfate is considered an inorganic compound because it does not contain carbon-hydrogen bonds. One of the most common alternative names for potassium sulfate is sulfate of potash. Potassium sulfate occurs naturally in salt lakes and some volcanic lavas. In nature, it is commonly combined with salts containing magnesium, sodium, and chloride. The most common method of obtaining potassium sulfate uses naturally occurring potassium minerals such as kainite ({eq}KMg(SO_{4})Cl\cdot 3H_{2}O {/eq}) and schoenite ({eq}K_{2}Mg(SO_{4})_{2}\cdot 6H_{2}O {/eq}). where byproducts are removed to produce potassium sulfate. Over 90% of the potassium sulfate produced in the United States is used in fertilizers. About 8% of the potassium sulfate produced in the United States is added as a supplement in animal feeds. Potassium sulfate is also used to reduce muzzle flash as well as in many other industrial uses.
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