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How does potassium conduct heat and electricity?
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![A periodic table element box for potassium shows atomic number 19, symbol K, atomic weight 39.0983, electron configuration [Ar]4s1, and name potassium. Icons indicate it is an alkali metal, solid at room temperature, body-centered cubic crystal structure, and has strongly basic higher-valence oxides. A key explains the symbols for alkali metals, solid state, body-centered cubic structure, and strong basicity.](https://cdn.britannica.com/81/22381-050-E3372C94/properties-Potassium.jpg)
potassium
Properties of potassium.
Potassium is a good conductor of heat and electricity, a property characteristic of alkali metals.12
This conductivity arises from the nature of the metal's valence electrons. In its metallic state, each potassium atom possesses a single electron in its outermost shell that is weakly bound. When these atoms interact to form a metallic structure, these valence electrons become delocalized and mobile, creating a half-filled valence band. This partially filled band functions as a conduction band, allowing for the efficient transport of both thermal energy and electrical charge.2