What does baking powder do versus baking soda?

Answer 1

both produce carbon dioxide to leaven doughs and batters through an acid-base reaction. For example, taking vinegar (acid) and mixing with baking soda (a base) you get a lot of bubbles (carbon dioxide).

The main difference is that with baking soda you need something acidic in the recipe to get the reaction - leavening.

Baking powder (single acting or double acting) starts out as baking soda, but has an acid included in the mix so when you add water it will fizz (the first act). Also, the second "act" is an additional ingredient that will produce carbon dioxide when you apply heat, when baking.

The short answer (Summary):
Baking soda needs an acid to produce gas.

Baking powder already has an acid in the mix. Just add water (and heat, if double acting baking powder).

Typical acidic ingredients in a recipe, lemon juice, orange juice, vinegar, buttermilk, mashed bananas... etc.

Answer 2

Baking powder contains baking soda, but the two substances are used under different conditions.

Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate. When baking soda is combined with moisture and an acidic ingredient (e.g., yogurt, chocolate, buttermilk, honey), the resulting chemical reaction produces bubbles of carbon dioxide that expand under oven temperatures, causing baked goods to rise. The reaction begins immediately upon mixing the ingredients, so you need to bake recipes which call for baking soda immediately, or else they will fall flat!

Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate, but it includes the acidifying agent already (cream of tartar), and also a drying agent (usually starch). Baking powder is available as single-acting baking powder and as double-acting baking powder. Single-acting powders are activated by moisture, so you must bake recipes which include this product immediately after mixing. Double-acting powders react in two phases and can stand for a while before baking. With double-acting powder, some gas is released at room temperature when the powder is added to dough, but the majority of the gas is released after the temperature of the dough increases in the oven.

Answer 3

baking powder makes the cakes/sponges rise,baking soda
im not to sure.