Q
When washing soda is exposed to hot atmosphere for a long time, it:
JE CBT-1, 18-Dec-24 S-3
2024
✓ Answer:
C
loses water molecules and becomes powdery
When washing soda (sodium carbonate decahydrate, Na2CO3·10H2O) is exposed to a hot atmosphere, it begins to lose water molecules. This process is called efflorescence, where hydrated salts release water into the air. As a result, washing soda becomes powdery and turns into anhydrous sodium carbonate (Na2CO3). This is a physical change, where the crystalline structure changes due to the loss of water, but the chemical composition of the salt remains the same.