Question

a) How does baking soda (NaHCO3) helps to:
i) make cake and bread soft and spongy?
ii) to extinguish fire?
b) Is pH value of baking soda smaller or greater than 7?​

Answer 1

Answer:

• 1. Baking soda reacts with the acidic ingredients of bread and cake to form CO2 gas which makes the foodstuff to rise and thus makes it soft and spongy.

2. Soda acid fire extinguishers contain a mixture of H2SO4 and baking soda. These react to release CO2 which forms a layer over the burning substance and cuts the supply of oxygen to the fire.2NaHCO3 + H2SO4 Na2SO4 + 2H2O + 2CO2,

• 3. pH of baking soda solution is greater than 7 since it is a salt of strong base (NaOH) and weak acid (H2CO3).