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First, too much potassium, K, can cause heart failure. Dehydration can be accompanied by low potassium. There is a rare syndrome, called Periodic Paralysis (PP). It's genetic and covered my the Muscular Dystrophy Association (http://www.mda.org/disease/pp.html). A potassium imbalance, either hypokalemic or Hyperkalemic, causes paralysis for ~72 hours. These patients are often told "it's all in your head", Sigmund's hysterical paralysis,, or they are just "crazy."

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16y ago
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16y ago

Potassium in its elemental form is a soft silvery metal. But don't get used to the idea of looking at it up close or holding it in your hand. Potassium is very reactive, and as such it is quite hazardous. It reacts spontaneously with air, specifically with the oxygen in air, to form an oxide. A block of potassium in dry air would quickly dull as the surface "rusted" or formed an oxide coating. Potassium will react with water in air to form a hydroxide. Potassium hydroxide is a strong base, and will cause caustic burns. Potassium tears water molecules apart and takes an OH with it while dumping the other H as free hydrogen. (Hydrogen is, of course, diatomic, and it leaves the reaction site as H2.) Problem is, it's an extremely endothermic reaction, this potassium and water thing. A lot of heat is given off. And because the heat is so great, the hydrogen gas that is being created can catch on fire and burn. A small amount of potassium dropped into water will react quickly and with the liberation of enough heat to burn off the created hydrogen on the spot. It's quite a site to watch a chemistry teacher perform a lab test to demonstrate this, but it is dangerous beyond words to fool around with metallic potassium. It is generally stored in its metal form in a container full of kerosene. The oil keeps air (and the moisture in air) away from the metal.

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13y ago

Skin and eye contact can lead to permanent damage. Superior exposures can cause a development of fluid in the lungs, which can lead to death. Also, it can react violently with water creating a powerful alkaline potassium hydroxide(KOH) which is very harmful to humans.

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Q: What are the hazards of potassium?
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