It is commonly used to neutralize unwanted acid solutions or acid spills in chemical laboratories. It is commercially mined using common underground mining techniques such as bore, drum, and longwall mining in a fashion very similar to coal mining.
When dry, baking soda doesn't decompose very quickly, although it does have a shelf life, so you should test it before using it as a cooking ingredient or in an experiment.
Neutralization of acids[ edit ] Sodium bicarbonate reacts spontaneously with acids, releasing CO2 gas as a reaction product.
Adding bicarbonate to the diet he chose to use the sodium-free saleratus, potassium bicarbonate reduced loss of calcium in postmenopausal women, amounting to the equivalent of "an arm-and-a-leg's worth" of bone if this continued for two decades.
Regarding the Solvay processsodium bicarbonate is an intermediate in the reaction of sodium chlorideammoniaand carbon dioxide.
Other[ edit ] Sodium bicarbonate was sometimes used in cooking green vegetables, as it gives them a bright green colour—which has been described as artificial-looking—due to its reacting with chlorophyll to produce chlorophyllin. Pest control[ edit ] Sodium bicarbonate can be an effective way of controlling fungal growth, [20] and in the United States is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency as a biopesticide.
A manufacturer recommends a paste made from baking soda with minimal water as a gentle scouring powder, [27] and is useful in removing surface rust, as the rust forms a water-soluble compound when in a concentrated alkaline solution; [61] cold water should be used, as hot-water solutions can corrode steel.
Because it can act as an alkali, the agent has a mild saponification effect on hot grease, which forms a smothering, soapy foam. Updated May 10, The decomposition reaction of sodium bicarbonate or baking soda is an important chemical reaction for baking because it helps baked goods rise.