The term "baking soda" comes from its primary role as a leavening agent in baking. It is a sodium-based compound (sodium bicarbonate) that reacts with acidic ingredients in recipes to produce carbon dioxide gas. This gas forms bubbles in dough or batter, causing it to rise and giving baked goods a light, airy texture. Hence, it became a staple for "baking" and earned its name.
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Sodium hydrogen carbonate is the scientific name for baking soda. In the upper left corner of this image, you see a “ball and stick model” of this compound baking soda. Each ball represents an atom, while the sticks signify the bonds connecting them. The periodic table contains 118 unique types of atoms or elements—an arrow pointing from the atoms to the symbols of its element on the periodic table.
Baking soda, scientifically known as sodium hydrogen carbonate, has the chemical formula NaHCO₃. In the model, different colors represent different elements: purple balls denote sodium (Na), red balls represent oxygen (O), dark gray balls signify carbon (C), and light gray balls indicate hydrogen (H). These atoms form a cluster in a specific ratio: one sodium atom, one hydrogen atom, one carbon atom, and three oxygen atoms, to create the compound NaHCO₃. This compound, known as baking soda, is a crucial component in rocket fuel for launching the rocket.