Re: K & Na Interchangeability
John Bordley (jbordley@seraph1.sewanee.edu)
Thu, 7 Nov 1996 07:55:15 -0600
Chemically, sodium ions and potassium ions act the same - neither one has
any chemical reactivity in water solutions. There is a slight difference
in the sizes of the two ions, and our bodies make use of that
characteristic - thus potassium salt substitutes for sodium chloride.
Sodium ions and potassium ions are pretty much just 'spectator ions' in
water solution. However, as several people have pointed out from time to
time on this list, the solubilities of a particular sodium or potassium
salt can differ. Thus you may get more or less of the particular solid
salt to dissolve, and therefore you may have more or less of the anion (the
salt minus the potassium or sodium ions) in solution.
John Bordley