Question

Baking powder is a mixture of:

A. Sodium carbonate and acetic acid

B. Sodium carbonate and tartaric acid

C. Sodium hydrogen carbonate and tartaric acid

D. Sodium hydrogen carbonate and acetic acid

Answer 1

Baking powder is a solid powder and dry in nature. It is a mixture of base and weak acid. The reaction between both acid and base can be prevented by adding a buffer like cornstarch. Baking powder is used in cooking also.

Complete answer:

- Baking powder is a mixture containing two chemicals.

- The two chemicals are sodium bicarbonate and a weak acid.

- The weak acid is tartaric acid.

- We can call sodium bicarbonate sodium hydrogen carbonate.

- The reaction of sodium hydrogen carbonate with acid at high temperatures is as follows.

$NaHC{O_3} + {H^ {+}} \rightarrow {Na^ +}+{CO_2}+ {{H_2}O}$

- Sodium hydrogen carbonate reacts with acid and forms carbon dioxide and water as the products.

- The carbon dioxide liberated in the above reaction makes the cake and bread puffy.

- Therefore baking powder is a mixture of sodium hydrogen carbonate and tartaric acid.

So, the correct option is C.

Additional information:

- Sodium hydrogen carbonate is used as a fire extinguisher.

- Sodium hydrogen carbonate neutralizes the excess amount of acid in the stomach.

- Sodium hydrogen carbonate is alkaline in nature and acts as an ingredient in the preparation of antacids.

Note: The molecular formula of sodium hydrogen carbonate is $NaHCO_3$ .

The structure of the tartaric acid is as follows

- Tartaric acid contains two carboxylic acids and two alcohol functional groups in its structure.

- Tartaric acid is soluble in water.