Question

When you buy washing soda from the market you will get it in powder form. why?

Answer 1

-The crystals of washing soda quickly water molecules..
-The Shop keeper prefers to powder the crystals..
-Washing soda does not form crystals..
-Washing soda is a drying agent..

Answer 2

Some substances lose their water content quickly and become powder when exposed to atmosphere. Such substances are called efflorescent substances and the phenomenon is called efflorescence.

Washing Soda (Sodium carbonate - Na2CO3) is one such substance. Hydrated Sodium carbonate ( Sodium decahydrate - Na2CO3.10H2O) is a crystal. But when exposed to air, it loses is water content to become a powder.

Other examples of efflorescent substances are Copper Sulphate (CuSO4.5H2O), Sodium Sulphate (Na2SO4.10H2O), Calcium Sulphate (Gypsum - CaSO4.2H2O)