Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a white crystalline powder that is commonly used as a leavening agent in baking.
Think of baking soda like a trampoline for your baked goods. Just like how a trampoline helps you bounce high, baking soda creates bubbles of carbon dioxide gas in dough which makes it rise and become fluffy.
Leavening Agent: A substance that causes dough to rise by producing gas that gets trapped within the mixture. Baking soda is one such agent.
Acid-Base Reaction: This refers to a chemical reaction that occurs between an acid and a base. When baking soda (a base) reacts with an acid (like vinegar), it produces carbon dioxide gas.
Sodium Carbonate: This is another type of salt often used in cooking or cleaning. It's related because when heated, baking soda decomposes into sodium carbonate, water and carbon dioxide.
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