Question

An amateur chef added baking powder to his bread batter. He observed that after baking the bread it was spongy and soft. Which of the following gas was responsible for this?

• A. Oxygen
• B. Hydrogen
• C. Carbon dioxide
• D. Nitrogen

Answer 1

The correct option is C Carbon dioxide

Baking powder is a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and potassuim hydrogen tartrate. When baking powder is heated sodium carbonate, carbon dioxide and water is released. The reaction occurs as follows:

${\text{2NaHCO}}_3\left(s\right)\stackrel{\text{Heat}}{⟶}{\text{Na}}_2{\text{CO}}_3\left(s\right)+{\text{CO}}_2\left(g\right)+{\text{H}}_2\text{O}\left(g\right)$

The carbon dioxide gas libreated helps the batter to rise and makes the bread spongy and puffy.