Question

What is the formula of washing soda. What happens when it is (a) exposed to air (b) heated ?

Answer 1

Chemical formula of washing soda is Na2CO3.10 H2O
When sodium carbonate crystals are exposed to air They lose water of crystallization and turn to white powder. This process of loosing water  of crystallization when exposed to air is called efflorescence.
Na2CO3 .10H2O → Na2CO3 + 10 H2O

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