Beyond its common use as a food ingredient for baking, sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, can also be used for what practical safety purpose?

Explanation

Sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, can also serve a practical safety purpose by being used to help smother small kitchen fires, such as minor grease fires, since heating it causes it to decompose and release carbon dioxide gas, which can help displace oxygen around the flames and assist in extinguishing them. This makes it a commonly recommended, readily available emergency option for very small stovetop fires, though it is not a substitute for a proper fire extinguisher for larger fires. Baking soda should never be used on a large or rapidly spreading fire, where evacuating and calling for help is the appropriate priority. Explore more Everyday Science MCQs on mcqstutor to keep practicing.