What is the Difference Between Soda Crystals and Baking Soda

The key difference between soda crystals and baking soda is that soda crystals contain sodium carbonate, whereas baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate.

Soda crystals and baking soda are carbonate forms of sodium that have different chemical properties and different applications. Soda crystals are also commonly known as washing soda or soda ash. Soda crystals are useful as a water softener in laundering because they can compete with magnesium and calcium ions. On the other hand, baking soda is important in cooking purposes as a leavening agent, as pest control to kill cockroaches, as a chemical that can raise the alkalinity of water sources, as a mild disinfectant, and as a chemical for the nebulization of acids and bases.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Soda Crystals  
3. What is Baking Soda
4. Similarities – Soda crystals and Baking Soda
5. Soda Crystals vs Baking Soda in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Soda Crystals vs Baking Soda 

What are Soda Crystals?

Soda crystals are also known as washing soda or soda ash. This chemical compound has the chemical formula Na2CO3. Its chemical name is sodium carbonate. The most common form of this compound exists in the form of crystalline decahydrate. Soda crystals readily effloresce to form a white powder. This white powder is the monohydrate form of this compound. The pure form of sodium carbonate is hygroscopic.

The names washing soda or soda ash comes with its domestic use. It is useful as a water softener in laundering because it can compete with magnesium and calcium ions (which cause the water hardness) to avoid the bonding between these ions and the detergent that we use. However, washing soda cannot prevent scaling. Moreover, we can use this compound to remove dirt such as grease, stain, oil, etc.

We can buy washing soda from stores easily. However, we can make it at home as well. We can simply bake baking soda (for half an hour at 400 Fahrenheit) to convert it into washing soda. This conversion is possible because there is only a slight difference between baking soda and washing soda; baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, so if we heat this compound, it yields sodium carbonate, water vapour, and carbon dioxide.

What is Baking Soda?

Baking soda is the chemical compound sodium bicarbonate. It is an inorganic solid that appears as white crystals. It has the chemical formula NaHCO3, and the molar mass is 84 g/mol. Moreover, it is a salt containing sodium cations and bicarbonate anions. The naturally occurring form of this compound is “nahcolite”.

The applications of baking soda include cooking purposes as a leavening agent, as pest control to kill cockroaches, as a chemical that can raise the alkalinity of water sources, as a mild disinfectant, and as a chemical for the nebulization of acids and bases.

What are the Similarities Between Soda crystals and Baking Soda?

1. Soda crystals and baking soda are carbonates of sodium ion.
2. Both compounds contain sodium, carbon, and oxygen atoms.
3. They are alkaline compounds.
4. These compounds can be used in swimming pools to adjust the alkalinity of pool water.

What is the Difference Between Soda Crystals and Baking Soda?

Soda crystals and baking soda are important chemical compounds in our daily life. They are two closely related chemical compounds. Baking soda is the chemical compound sodium bicarbonate. The key difference between soda crystals and baking soda is that soda crystals contain sodium carbonate, whereas baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate as the chemical component. There is only a slight difference between soda crystals and baking soda; if we heat sodium bicarbonate, it yields sodium carbonate, water vapour, and carbon dioxide.

The below infographic lists the differences between soda crystals and baking soda in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Soda Crystals vs Baking Soda

Soda crystals are washing soda or soda ash. Baking soda is a common ingredient in cake making and other bakery items as well. Soda crystals are the chemical compounds having the chemical formula Na2CO3 while baking soda has the chemical formula Na2CO3. The key difference between soda crystals and baking soda is that soda crystals contain sodium carbonate, whereas baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate.

Reference:

“Soda Crystals – Laundry, Cleaning, Water Softening, Grease Removal: Dri-Pak.” Dri, 29 July 2021.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Woman pouring washing powder into the washing machine”  By Marco Verch Professional Photographer (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Powder-baking-soda-white-baking” (CC0) via Pixabay