Potassium iodide facts for kids
Potassium iodide is a chemical compound. Its chemical formula is KI. It is made of two parts: potassium and iodide. These parts are called ions.
Contents
What it is Like
Potassium iodide is a colorless solid. It looks like small crystals. It is a weak reducing agent, which means it can cause other chemicals to gain electrons.
When potassium iodide is left in the air, it slowly turns yellow. This happens because it reacts with oxygen and carbon dioxide from the air. This reaction creates iodine and potassium carbonate.
Potassium iodide can also react with chlorine. This reaction makes iodine and potassium chloride.
If you mix potassium iodide with iodine, it creates something called the triiodide ion. This is why iodine can easily dissolve in a solution of potassium iodide.
How it is Made
Scientists make potassium iodide by mixing iodine or hydriodic acid with potassium hydroxide.
What it is Used For
Potassium iodide has several important uses:
Health and Medicine
- Iodine Supply: It is used in vitamin tablets or pills to give your body enough iodine.
- Salt Additive: Sometimes, it is added to table salt. This helps prevent people from getting an iodine deficiency, which means not having enough iodine in their body.
- Thyroid Protection: One very important use is to protect the thyroid gland from cancer. The thyroid is a small gland in your neck. After a nuclear explosion, there can be radioactive iodine in the air. This radioactive iodine can collect in the thyroid and cause cancer. If a person takes potassium iodide, it fills up their thyroid with normal iodine. This way, the radioactive iodine cannot enter the thyroid and cause harm.
Other Uses
- Making Silver Iodide: It is used to create silver iodide. Silver iodide is important in photography and for making artificial rain.
- Adding Iodine to Chemicals: In organic chemistry, potassium iodide can be used to add iodine to other organic compounds.
Related pages
Images for kids
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Distribution areas for iodine pills in the Netherlands (2017).
See also
In Spanish: Yoduro de potasio para niños
