Question

Give four uses of sodium carbonate (washing soda).

Answer 1

Hint: Think about the chemical formula of sodium carbonate and consider its acidity or basicity. Use the common name of the compound to deduce some of the uses of sodium carbonate.

Complete step by step solution:
Sodium carbonate is a strong base with a molecular formula of $N{{a}_{2}}C{{O}_{3}}$. It is found in a whitish powder form which is usually odourless. Other common names of sodium carbonate are soda ash and soda crystals. Some of the uses of sodium carbonate are:
-Water softener
Since it is a strong base, sodium carbonate can easily neutralize the cations that cause the water to become hard. Hard water is not suitable for washing due to the formation of scum that destroys the cleaning property of soaps and detergents. So, sodium carbonate is used to remove these cations and make the water more suitable for washing. The name washing soda is derived from this property of the compound.
-Reactant for the synthesis
It is used to manufacture various materials like water glass (sodium silicate), borax, sodium phosphate and other materials that require sodium as one of their components.
-As a laboratory reagent
It has many uses as a laboratory reagent. One of them is the standardization of the compounds that are not the primary standard. It can be used as a pH modifier too, due to its high basicity. It is an important compound that is used in tests for qualitative analysis of compounds.
-Commercial uses
It has many commercial uses. It is used as a wetting agent in the brick industry, used in the paper, paint, and textile industries. It is also used as an abrasive or a foaming agent in toothpaste to enhance the cleaning power.

Note: Do not confuse sodium carbonate with sodium bicarbonate. Sodium bicarbonate is also colloquially known as baking soda and has a formula of $NaHC{{O}_{3}}$. It has many uses in the cooking industry and the most important difference between sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate is that $NaHC{{O}_{3}}$ is edible.