When baking soda (sodium bicarbonate or sodium hydrogen carbonate, nahco3) is heated, it releases carbon dioxide gas, which is responsible for the rising of cookies, doughnuts, and bread.

a) write a balanced equation for the decomposition of the compound (one of the products is na2co3).
b) calculate the mass of nahco3 required to produce 20.5 g of co2.

a. NaHCO₃ + HCl → NaCl + H₂O + CO₂

b. 39.14 g is the mass of NaHCO₃ required to produce 20.5 moles of CO₂

Explanation:

A possible reaction for NaHCO₃ to make dioxide is this one, when it reacts with hydrochloric to produce the mentioned gas.

NaHCO₃ + HCl → NaCl + H₂O + CO₂

Ratio in this reaction is 1:1

So 1 mol of baking soda, produce 1 mol of CO₂

Let's calculate the moles

20.5 g CO₂ / 44 g/m = 0.466 moles

This moles of gas came from the same moles of salt.

Molar mass baking soda = 84 g/m

Molar mass . moles = mass

84 g/m .  0.466 moles = 39.14 g