what is potassium?

Question

some say its a salt i need in my body

Answer 1

It is. It is inside every cell in your body and with sodium, helps regulate sugar and water in the cells.

Answer 2

Potassium is an element. Specifically, element number 19. It is an essential element for good health and can be found in a variety of foods (bananas being one of the more commonly mentioned ones). See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium for more information

Potassium chloride is often used as a salt substitute. This may be the 'needed salt' you're referring to. BTW: Potassium chloride is not needed since you get plenty of potassium and chlorine from a healthy diet. However, if you are 'salt sensitive', you may want to use potassium chloride since sodium chloride can increase the blood pressure of sensitive people.

Hope this helps

MistWing SilverTail

Answer 3

I'm going to reiterate... not a salt. If it is ionically combined with a non-metal/compound it will become a salt. if you look at potassium in the body then it is a salt because it is in the presence of water and therefore is bonding with at the very least OH- ions.

Answer 4

Potassium 'K' is an element. Atomic mass = 39.

Potassium is found in oceans and seas, in the soil, in rocks and minerals, and in plants and animals.
Potassium is essential to all forms of life .. human, flora and fauna.

After Calcium and Phosphorus, Potassium is the third most abundant mineral in the human body.

Potassium carbonate is also used extensively in fertilisers.

Answer 5

It's not a salt, it's an element. And yes, it is essential to the human body.

Answer 6

Potassium is one of the most reactive metals in the Periodic table. (It's an element.) I think they meant a compound that has potassium in it.

Answer 7

Yes, it is a salt, and it is needed by your body for proper cellular functioning.