  Absolute cross sections for charge exchange, ionization, stripping and
excitation in K^(+) - He collisions were measured in the ion energy range 0.7 -
10 keV. The experimental data and the schematic correlation diagrams are used
to analyze and determine the mechanisms for these processes. The increase of
the excitation probability of inelastic channels with the angle of scattering
is revealed. An exceptionally highly excited state of He is observed and a
peculiarity for the excitation function of the resonance line is explained. The
intensity ratio for the excitation of the K II \lambda = 60.1 nm and \lambda =
61.2 nm lines is 5:1 which indicates the high probability for excitation of the
singlet resonance level $^{1}$P$_{1}$ compared to the triplet level
$^{3}$P$_{1}$. The similarity of the population of the 4p state of the
potassium ion and atom as well as the anomalously small values of the
excitation cross sections are explained.
