TRY THIS AT HOME: Baking Soda vs Baking Powder

Today's experiment involves yummy baking! Before we begin, let's explore the difference between baking soda and baking powder. 

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. Its great for cooking, cleaning, and doing science. Baking powder is a combination of ingredients. Their differences don't stop there!

BASIC MATERIALS:
cups, vinegar, baking soda, baking powder, paper towels, spoons, cream of tartar, baking soda, cornstarch, measuring spoons.


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EXPERIMENT #1: BAKING SODA VERSUS BAKING POWDER
Fill two cups with a little bit of vinegar. Scoop one spoonful of baking powder into the vinegar. Observe what happens. In the other cup of vinegar, scoop one spoonful of baking soda. Observe what happens. What was the same/different between the two reactions?



EXPERIMENT #2: HOME MADE BAKING POWDER
Baking powder is a basic combination of ingredients. You can make some yourself the next time you're in a pinch while cooking. Mix 2 teaspoons cream of tartar with 1 teaspoon baking soda in a small bowl. To store, whisk 1 teaspoon cornstarch into the mixture and keep in an air-tight container.