Final answer:
Potassium ions are vital for maintaining normal heart rhythm, establishing resting membrane potential in neurons and muscles, and aiding in osmotic balance and ion exchange in the body.
Step-by-step explanation:
Function of Potassium Ions in the Human Body
Potassium ions are essential for various physiological functions within the human body. As the major intracellular cation, potassium is critical in establishing the resting membrane potential in neurons and muscle fibers, particularly after membrane depolarization and action potentials. Its role is significant in maintaining normal heart rhythm and influencing cardiac muscle activity. Potassium ions also help in the transmission of electrical impulses along cell membranes, contribute to the osmotic balance controlling water movement between cells and their environment, and aid in exchanging sodium ions in the renal tubules under the influence of the hormone aldosterone.