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potash

potash

2 6.6
A chemical that farmers add to soil to help plants grow
  • noun
  • /ˈpɒtæʃ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : potasa
  • Glass is mostly sand, silicon dioxide, but add some potash and you reduce the melting point.

It's how he isolated potassium from potash.

Examples

  • Reduced rainfall would be beneficial to agriculture in that respect, leaving imported potash and locally produced nitrates available in the soil longer.

    Blog text (2)
  • Potash, another mineral product, has been the second most important commodity on the Jordanian list of exports.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Including the suspension agreement on potash, well over $100 million in annual trade from Canada was involved.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Because domestic production capacity is limited, any increase in nitrogen and potash demands will have to be met largely by imports.

    Blog text (1)
  • U.S. nitrogen and potash supplies largely depend on imports.

    Blog text (1)
  • I explained that the previous summer I had worked in a law firm, researching a case that dealt with potash mining.

    Academic text (2001)
  • Industrial development in Jordan has revolved and remained concentrated in its mineral sectors, especially phosphate and potash.

    Academic text (2000)
  • The charges alleged that the Government of Saskatchewan had been encouraged by potash producers to establish a prorationing and price support arrangement for the Canada-U.S. potash market.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Chemical analysis of wood taken from old instruments has revealed unusual amounts of silica and potash, which, when heated and then allowed to harden into a silicate of potassium and calcium, would form a glassy, hard surface.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Farmers often add potash to their soil to improve crop yields.

Compounds

caustic potash
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A strong chemical used to make soap and fertilizers that can burn your skin

A poisonous purple salt used as a bleach and to kill germs

potash alum
  • Specialized
8.3

A white crystal used to dye cloth, purify water, and treat skin

potash muriate
  • Specialized
7.0

A white salt used to treat low potassium in people and help plants grow

A yellow salt that forms crystals and is used to make color for paints and keep powders from clumping

Surface Forms

potash singular
potashes plural

Morphology

potash = pot + ash (semi-transparent) = pot + ash

Historically a literal compound 'pot' + 'ash', but the modern specialized chemical meaning (potassium compound) is more technical and may not be directly inferable by an average B1 learner.

Etymology

The word potash comes from the simple idea pot + ash, because people long ago put wood ashes in a pot and washed or boiled them to make a salty substance rich in potassium. That's why potash now means a potassium compound often used in fertilizers to help plants grow.