eli5: why does potassium react so violently with water but is harmless to us in let’s say a banana ?

Question

eli5: why does potassium react so violently with water but is harmless to us in let’s say a banana ?

In: 7

Answer 1

Potassium in a banana isn’t potassium *metal*, it’s the already-oxidized K+ ion floating around in banana juice.

Potassium metal hasn’t been oxidized yet, and reacts explosively with any electron acceptor (like water) to do so.