Baking Soda: Have you ever scratched your head wondering why sodium hydrogen carbonate is known as baking soda? Well the answer is quite interesting as when it is heated, it decomposes to form little bubbles of carbon dioxide! Let’s find out what baking soda is and how it is prepared.
What is Baking Soda?
Sodium bicarbonate or as it is commonly known, baking soda is a white crystalline solid with the formula NaHCO3. Sodium bicarbonate is formed by sodium cation (Na+) and bicarbonate anion (HCO3). Its chemical name is sodium hydrogen carbonate.
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How is Baking Soda Prepared?
NCERT has defined the process of preparation of baking soda as, ‘’Sodium hydrogen carbonate is made by saturating a solution of sodium carbonate with carbon dioxide. The white crystalline powder of sodium hydrogen carbonate, being less soluble, gets separated out.’’
Uses of Sodium Bicarbonate
Baking soda is used as a mild antiseptic for skin infections. It is also used in soda acid fire extinguishers. Baking soda is used to make baking powder (a mixture of baking soda (sodium hydrogen carbonate) and a mild edible acid). Carbon dioxide produced during the reaction can be used to make bread or cake soft and spongy. Sodium hydrogen carbonate is also used in antacids as it neutralises excess acid in the stomach and provides relief. Other uses are in- pest control, pH balancer, paint & corrosion removal, cooking, neutralisation of acids & bases, food supplements for cattles and bio-pesticide.
Properties of Baking Soda
It is a white crystalline solid which is odourless.
It is soluble in water.
When baking soda is heated, it decomposes into- sodium carbonate, carbon dioxide and water.
It is non-flammable.
It has a melting point of 50 degree C and boiling point of 851 degree C.
Difference between Baking Soda and Baking Powder
Baking soda has sodium bicarbonate while baking powder is a mixture of sodium bicarbonate, other bicarbonates, and acid salts. While baking soda reacts immediately with acid, baking powder does not. On the one hand, the leavening process in baking soda is small and on the other hand, the leavening process in baking powder may be extended with the help of other acids. Baking soda is used in recipes that contain buttermilk and lemon juice while baking powder has its use in recipes that don’t have ingredients such as biscuits and cornbread.
Note: All images have been taken from NCERT Class 10 Science Textbook.
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