Question

Explain giving reasons;

Tartaric acid is a component of baking powder used in making cakes.

Answer 1

1. Baking soda or sodium hydrogen carbonate is a mixture of tartaric acid and sodium hydrogen carbonate.
2. It produces sodium carbonate, water, and carbon dioxide when heated.

Reaction Involves:

$\underset{\mathrm{Baking}\mathrm{Soda}}{2{\mathrm{NaHCO}}_3}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\stackrel{\mathrm{heat}}{\to }\underset{\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{carbonate}}{{\mathrm{Na}}_2{\mathrm{CO}}_3\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{carbon}\mathrm{dioxide}}{{\mathrm{CO}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}$

• In making a cake, tartaric acid helps in providing a sweet taste to it as tartaric acid $\left({\mathrm{C}}_4{\mathrm{H}}_6{\mathrm{O}}_6\right)$ neutralizes sodium carbonate, which is a basic salt having a bitter taste and intake of sodium carbonate is injurious to health.
• Therefore, tartaric acid which is a component of baking powder is used in making the cakes.