Sodium bicarbonate

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sodium-bicarbonate

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the chemical formula?NaHCO3
2. What is the IUPAC name?Sodium hydrogencarbonate
3. What is baking soda and what does it look like?Baking soda is a white, fine powder that tastes slightly alkaline. It is made of sodium and bicarbonate ions. It is often called sodium bicarbonate.
4. How does baking soda help cakes rise?When baking soda meets an acid, it makes carbon dioxide gas. The gas forms bubbles that expand when heated. Those bubbles give cakes their light, airy texture.

Amphoteric: A substance that can act as both an acid and a base.
Leavening Agent: A substance that causes dough or batter to rise by producing gas.
Antacid: A substance that neutralizes stomach acid, relieving heartburn.
Solvay Process: An industrial process for producing sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate.