Question

Do you think that washing soda, `Na_2CO_3`, could be used for the same purpose as baking soda, `NaHCO_3`? Would `Na_2CO_3` react with `HCl`? How do you write the chemical equation for the reaction of `NaHCO_3` with `HCl`?

Answer 1

I would not put sodium carbonate in my cake!

Explanation:

`NaHCO_3(aq)+HCl(aq)rarrNaCl(aq) + CO_2(g)uarr+H_2O(l)`

Sodium bicarbonate is commonly used as baking powder. (The commercial reagent is a mixture of stuff, including sodium bicarbonate, and possibly some sodium carbonate, but don't quote me.)

Of course sodium carbonate would speciate the same way:

`Na_2CO_3(aq) + 2HCl(aq) rarr 2NaCl(aq) + CO_2(g)uarr + H_2O(g)`

But I suspect that the cake you baked with washing soda would taste bitter.