Sodium Bicarbonate Essay

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Sodium bicarbonate Introduction Sodium bicarbonate has been around since the 19th century, and today has many common uses. Sodium bicarbonate is a white, crystalline solid compound with a formula of NaHCO2 and is commonly known as baking soda. Sodium bicarbonate was first discovered by the ancient Egyptains, who recognized it as a salt. Many centuries later, mixtures of different compounds, such as the natural deposits of natron (a mixture consisting mostly of sodium carbonate decahydrate and sodium bicarbonate) which became the successful product of a cleansing soap. In 1846 the wonderful cooking agent baking soda was discovered. The credit for these discoveries including soda ash, which is made from sodium carbonate goes to French chemist, Nicolas Leblanc, and to Americans John Dwight and Austin Church. About 100,000 tons of sodium bicarbonate are produced per year in the world. is so popular it is probably in every house in the United States. Today, sodium bicarbonate is used in many more ways than in just cooking and in soap products/ Chemical and physical properties Sodium bicarbonate is an ionic compound with the formula of NaHCO3. Sodium has an atomic mass of 22.99amu, hydrogen has an atomic mass of 1.01amu, carbon has an atomic mass of 12.01amu, and oxygen has an atomic mass of 16.00amu. This gives a molar mass for sodium carbonate equal to 84.01grams per mol. The exact molar mass is 83.982338573g/mol. Sodium is a metal element and has a positive 1charge on its ion in the bicarbonate compound. This sodium ion charge balances the 1- charge of the bicarbonate anion in the compound. Essentially, the compound formula of sodium bicarbonate is a one to one combination of sodium, carbon dioxide, and hydroxide ion. With other further reactions, these three species will produce a white crystalline, or powder non toxic product called baking soda, as
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