Does boiling soda make a gas?

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) does produce a gas when it reacts with an acid. The gas produced is carbon dioxide (CO2). This reaction is commonly used in baking to make cakes, breads, and other baked goods rise.

The chemical equation for the reaction between baking soda and an acid is:

NaHCO3 + H+ → CO2 + H2O + Na+

In this equation, NaHCO3 represents baking soda, H+ represents an acid (such as hydrochloric acid or vinegar), CO2 represents carbon dioxide gas, H2O represents water, and Na+ represents sodium ions.

When baking soda is added to an acidic solution, the hydrogen ions (H+) from the acid react with the bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) from the baking soda to form carbonic acid (H2CO3). This compound is unstable and immediately breaks down into carbon dioxide gas (CO2), water (H2O), and sodium ions (Na+). The carbon dioxide gas is what causes baked goods to rise.

The amount of gas produced by baking soda depends on the amount of acid present. The more acid, the more gas will be produced. This is why baking recipes typically call for a specific amount of baking soda and an acid, such as buttermilk, yogurt, or vinegar. Too much acid can cause a baked good to rise too much and become crumbly, while too little acid can prevent the baked good from rising properly.