Potassium dichromate, K₂Cr₂O₇, is a common inorganic

Inorganic compound

Inorganic compounds have traditionally been considered to be of inanimate, non-biological origin. In contrast, organic compounds have an explicit biological origin. However, over the past century, the classification of inorganic vs organic compounds has become less important to scientists,...

 chemical reagent, most commonly used as an oxidizing agent

Oxidizing agent

An oxidizing agent can be defined as a substance that removes electrons from another reactant in a redox chemical reaction...

 in various laboratory and industrial applications. As with all hexavalent chromium

Hexavalent chromium

Hexavalent chromium refers to chemical compounds that contain the element chromium in the +6 oxidation state. Virtually all chromium ore is processed via hexavalent chromium, specifically the salt sodium dichromate. Approximately of hexavalent chromium were produced in 1985...

 compounds, it is potentially harmful to health and must be handled and disposed of appropriately. It is a crystalline ionic solid with a very bright, red-orange color. It is also known as potassium bichromate; bichromate of potash; dipotassium dichromate; dichromic acid, dipotassium salt; chromic acid

Chromic acid

The term chromic acid is usually used for a mixture made by adding concentrated sulfuric acid to a dichromate, which may contain a variety of compounds, including solid chromium trioxide. This kind of chromic acid may be used as a cleaning mixture for glass. Chromic acid may also refer to the...

, dipotassium salt; and lopezite

Lopezite

Lopezite is a rare red chromate mineral with chemical formula: K2Cr2O7. It crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system.It occurs as rare vug fillings in nitrate ores in association with tarapacáite , dietzeite and ulexite in the Chilean Atacama and is reported from the Bushveld igneous complex of...

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Potassium dichromate is an oxidant (oxidizing agent).