Potassium nitrate

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Potassium nitrate
General
Systematic name	Potassium Nitrate
Other names	Nitrate of potash - Saltpetre
Molecular formula	KNO3
Molar mass	101.1032 g/mol101.103 amu
Appearance	White Solid
CAS number	[7757-79-1]
Properties
Density and phase	2.11 g/cm32.11 g/ml 131.723 lb/cu ft, Solid
Solubility in water	35.7 g/100 ml (25°C)
Melting point	334°C607.15 K 633.2 °F 1,092.87 °R
Boiling point	400°C673.15 K 752 °F 1,211.67 °R Decomp
Crystal structure	Orthorhombic, Aragonite
Hazards
MSDS	External MSDS Data
NFPA 704	0 2 0 OX
Related compounds
Other anions	Potassium nitrite
Other cations	Lithium nitrate Sodium nitrate Rubidium nitrate Caesium nitrate

Potassium nitrate is a naturally occurring compound that has been used for ages, primarily used for gunpowder. In today's society, it is still used for gunpowder, but it has also spread to other uses, primarily fertilizers and fireworks.

The common name for potassium nitrate is saltpetre, which comes from the Latin words "sal petrae", which means "stone salt".

Contents 1 Properties 2 Occurrences 3 Uses 4 References 5 See Also

Properties

Potassium nitrate is a compound composed of potassium, nitrogen and oxygen in the ratio KNO₃. At room temperature potassium nitrate either a colorless, transparent crystal or a white powder, depending on how it was formed. It is readily soluble in water, but it dissolves much faster in hot water, rather than cold water.

When it decomposes due to heating it slowly releases oxygen. Because of this it is a strong oxidizer.

Occurrences

Potassium Nitrate does occur naturally in the world, but in very small quantities. In today's society the most common way for it to be obtained is to create it from sodium nitrate. Sodium nitrate is quite common, very inexpensive, and comes in very large pockets found in the Chilean Deserts. Historically, it had to be produced locally since shipping it was impossible. This was done by mixing potassium nitrate, manure from livestock, and ashes along with other common earth substances such as grasses or straw to give it volume and make it porous. This was made into a long bed and placed in a box that was then covered to protect it from the rain. This was then slowly moistened with various liquids and turned to speed up the decomposition process. After about one year they distilled the mass in water and removed all of the solid mass. The liquid that remained then was added to wood ashes which then crystallized into potassium nitrate. From this point the potassium nitrate went through various steps to become different forms of gunpowder, which was its only real use in history.

Today potassium nitrate is made by purifying, treating and refining sodium nitrate, which as stated above is found in large deposits in South America.

Uses

Potassium nitrate is used extensively in use for plants, mainly for its nutrition purposes. It is, however, also used in tree stump remover. Besides from that though, the most common use of potassium nitrate is in fertilizers since it is a main component of the nutrition that plants require. The NPK rating of potassium nitrate is 13-0-44, which indicates that the percentage of potassium nitrate is 13%, 0%, and 44% of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are the three elements that plants need.

Since potassium nitrate is combustible, it is also used in fireworks, fuel, and gunpowder. When used in gunpowder the potassium nitrate is mixed with charcoal and sulfur and is then turned into blackpowder. For use in fireworks, it is made for smoke bombs, because when potassium nitrate is combined with sucrose and burned, it produces smoke equal to 600 times its own mass. Also it is used to produce a orange and pink flame.

Also potassium nitrate is used in the production of food preservatives. It is used normally to package and preserve meats, although the use of it is slowly declining due to health issues. It is, however, still readily used in hot dogs.

Another interesting use for potassium nitrate is the use of it in toothpaste. For people with sensitive teeth, a special kind of toothpaste is created using potassium nitrate which can drastically improve the health of one's teeth.

References

• Potassium Nitrate Net Industries
• Potassium Nitrate Wikipedia
• Potassium Nitrate Arokor Holdings Inc.
• POTASSIUM NITRATE Enviromental Health Safety

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See Also