What's the difference between baking powder and baking soda?

Question

I need to know now because my boyfriend will only go to the prom with me if I give him the right answer. (My prom is in 13 days but I have to have the answer in 7 days.)

Answer 1

Baking soda: Formula NaHCO3, used in cooking as a base to react with acidic ingredients (like buttermilk) to produce CO2, carbon dioxide, which acts as a leavening agent. Also used to buffer acidity in order to allow other ingredients to behave in specified ways.

Baking powder: is normally made of three different parts:

An acid
A base
A filler.

Some baking powders contain sodium aluminum sulfate: NaAl(SO4)2.

Single-acting baking powder = baking soda + a dry acid. When the liquid ingredients are mixed with the dry ingredients you get leavening --OR-- when the product is heated you get leavening.

Double-Acting baking powder = baking soda + 2 dry acids. When the liquid is added you get leavening --PLUS-- when the product is heated you get leavening.

In either case, the objective is to produce a leavening action without the use of yeast.

(Baking soda also makes a great additive to cat litter boxes to cut down on smell, but we won't go there while we're talking about culinary uses.)

Answer 2

One is an acid, one is a base.

Baking powder is acid, soda is a base. You use baking soda if the food is already acidic, otherwise you use baking powder.

Answer 3

I hope your boyfriend is doing this as a joke. If it isnt' a joke, I'm sorry to say this but you guys have a weird relationship or he's just a jerk. I would tell you the answer but I don't know what the difference is.

Answer 4

baking powder is what you cook with baking soda you clean and deodorize with

Answer 5

One has a leavning agent (Soda) the other (powder) does not.

Answer 6

Here you go -- have a great time at the prom!

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjA4OHuox.tAyWPwL9u3S.MjzKIX?qid=20060914190213AAEYef8