Just had a chem test today, and I want to know the answer to the one question. It said, "A guy was baking muffins. The ingredients were baking soda and lemon juice. He doesn't like the lemon juice so he takes it out. Why is this a bad idea?" I said something about the acid neutralizing the baking soda such as tums neutralizing acid within the stomach. Thanks.
2007-05-25 09:40:28 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
You are correct. Carbon dioxide makes the dough rise.
3NaHCO3 + H3[citrate] ===> Na3[citrate] + 3H2O = 3CO2(g)
You were correct in your answer. In fact, Tums neutralizes stomach acid to liberate CO2 also *burp* LOL. If your teacher is a strict constructionist, (s)he may insist on your having included CO2 rather than just neutralization in the answer.
2007-05-25 09:54:41 · answer #1 · answered by steve_geo1 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's an important part to this answer that you left out. One of the products of the neutralization of the acid is the production of carbon dioxide gas from the baking soda. The bubbling of the gas in the muffin batter is what give the finished muffin its airiness. Remember those volcanoes you made in the 2nd grade with the baking soda and vinegar?
2007-05-25 17:04:21 · answer #2 · answered by chemalicious 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You lose.
The ingredients are added to produce CO2 when you bake. The baking soda provides bicarbonate ion which at the pH of the acid becomes carbonic acid. This decomposes to water and CO2 as the muffin is heated. The CO2 leaves, adding to the greenhouse gas problem, but you have a fluffy muffin.
2007-05-25 17:00:08 · answer #3 · answered by cattbarf 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the carbon dioxide gas from the reaction between baking soda and lemon juice helps the dough rise.
2007-05-25 16:53:35 · answer #4 · answered by ana s 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋