Question

State any two applications of baking soda

Answer 1

Baking soda is the common name for sodium hydrogen carbonate or sodium bicarbonate. It is represented by the chemical formula ${\text{NaHC}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{3}}}$. It is a mildly alkaline substance and it has such physical and chemical properties that it finds applications in a wide variety of fields.

Complete answer:
Sodium hydrogen carbonate or baking soda is an extremely effective and child safe domestic chemical substance that can be used in applications ranging from cleaning kitchen drains to treating diaper rashes.
The major application of baking soda as the name suggests is in baking applications. It is used in baking powder to lighten the texture, increase porous nature and thus increase the volume of baked goods. It acts through an acid base reaction in the wet mixture releasing carbon dioxide gas which expands in the wet mixture and makes the mixture porous.
It has an incredible property of removing bad odor. Thus, it is used to remove foul odor from shoes, ashtrays, cloth and diaper pails, cat boxes, etc. It is also used additionally with detergent in laundry to help remove smell from clothes.

Note:
The foaming effect of baking soda helps in cleaning kitchen and bathroom drains by simply pouring it into the drain. It can also be used as an effective stain remover. In combination with vinegar, it can pull out stains from many substances like carpets or cloth diapers. Moreover, since it is also non- toxic and does not have a scratching effect on any surface, it can be used as a scrubber as well.