Why do bakers use baking powder, and not baking soda alone, in a cake?
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
- Why do bakers use baking powder, and not baking soda alone, in a cake?
- Write the equation for what happens when baking soda is heated alone.
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
A salt has the positive ion of a base and the negative ion of an acid. Strong acid + strong base gives a neutral salt; strong acid + weak base, an acidic one; weak acid + strong base, a basic one. Electrolysis of brine gives NaOH, and .
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. (b) .
Step 2. (a) Alone, it leaves sodium carbonate, which tastes bitter. Baking powder adds a mild acid, such as tartaric acid, which reacts with the baking soda to give carbon dioxide and no bitter taste.
Answer: as above.
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