An acidic salt of carbonic acid is called sodium bicarbonate.
Baking soda is a substance that has multiple uses. To know specifically what type of compound it is, it is necessary to analyze the terms that make up the concept.
Let's start with the idea of baking soda . An acid from carbon dioxide , whose molecular formula is H2CO3 , is called carbonic acid . Bicarbonate is an acidic salt of carbonic acid .
Sodium , meanwhile, is a metal that frequently appears in the Earth 's crust as salt. Its atomic number is 11 , while its symbol is Na .
What is baking soda
A type of baking soda that contains sodium is called baking soda . This chemical compound with the molecular formula NaHCO3 has one sodium atom, one hydrogen atom, one carbon atom and three oxygen atoms.
Baking soda, also called sodium bicarbonate , is a crystalline solid that occurs naturally as a mineral and can be produced artificially. To obtain it at an industrial level, the Solvay process is used.
A method studied by Ernest Solvay
The Belgian chemist Ernest Solvay was the one who optimized a previously postulated procedure to produce sodium bicarbonate. The method starts with carbon dioxide and ammonia in a gaseous state, bringing them to a saturated solution of sodium chloride .
This allows the formation of sodium hydrogen carbonate and ammonium chloride . Sodium hydrogen carbonate, in turn, is separated from the solution by filtration and then, by calcination, is converted to sodium carbonate . It is in one of the intermediate reactions where sodium bicarbonate is obtained.
In gastronomy, baking soda has several uses.
Baking soda as an antacid
One of the most popular uses for baking soda is as an antacid . Due to its properties, it is used in the treatment of heartburn ( pyrosis ).
It is important to keep in mind that a doctor is the one who must indicate whether the use of sodium bicarbonate is appropriate or not according to the patient. In addition, the health professional must indicate how the intake should be specified.
At a general level, we can say that sodium bicarbonate is sold in the form of powder or tablets for oral consumption. What baking soda does, in this case, is neutralize the excessive level of acid found in the stomach.
It should be noted that, in the healthcare field, sodium bicarbonate is also often used as an antiseptic . With gargles or mouthwashes, it helps treat sore throat and small mouth ulcers.
Its use in gastronomy
When baking soda reacts with an acid, it releases carbon dioxide. That is why it is used in the field of pastry and bakery as an additive to promote the rising of a dough .
Thanks to baking soda, then, breads and cakes are made spongier. On the other hand, this bicarbonate serves to rectify the acidity of tomato sauce and other foods, neutralizing acids and improving flavor .
This same neutralization capacity means that, when baking soda is added to the cooking water of the vegetables, the vegetables do not lose their color . This is linked to the fact that it prevents the oxidation of the substances that give the tone.