1. Potassium carbonate is the inorganic compound with the formula K2CO3. It is a white salt, which is soluble in water and forms a strongly alkaline solution. It is deliquescent, often appearing as a damp or wet solid. Potassium carbonate is used in production of dutch process cocoa powder, production of soap and production of glass. Commonly, it can be found as the result of leakage of alkaline batteries. Potassium carbonate is a potassium salt of carbonic acid. This salt consists of potassium cations K+ and carbonate anions CO2−3, and is therefore an alkali metal carbonate. == History == Potassium carbonate is the primary component of potash and the more refined pearl ash or salt of tartar. Historically, pearl ash was created by baking potash in a kiln to remove impurities. The fine, white powder remaining was the pearl ash. The first patent issued by the US Patent Office was awarded to Samuel Hopkins in 1790 for an improved method of making potash and pearl ash. In late 18th-century North... from wikipedia.org