sodium carbonate

noun, Chemistry
1.
Also called soda ash. an anhydrous, grayish-white, odorless, water-soluble powder, Na 2 CO 3 , usually obtained by the Solvay process and containing about 1 percent of impurities consisting of sulfates, chlorides, and bicarbonates of sodium: used in the manufacture of glass, ceramics, soaps, paper, petroleum products, sodium salts, as a cleanser, for bleaching, and in water treatment.
2.
Also called sal soda, soda, washing soda. the decahydrated form of this salt, Na 2 CO 3 ⋅10H 2 O, used similarly.
3.
the monohydrated form of this salt, Na 2 CO 3 ⋅H 2 O, used similarly, especially in photography.
Origin
1865-70
Examples from the web for sodium carbonate
  • When sodium hydroxide combines with carbonic acid, they create sodium carbonate.
  • The promoters are sodium salts, in particular sodium carbonate.
British Dictionary definitions for sodium carbonate

sodium carbonate

noun
1.
a colourless or white odourless soluble crystalline compound existing in several hydrated forms and used in the manufacture of glass, ceramics, soap, and paper and as an industrial and domestic cleansing agent. It is made by the Solvay process and commonly obtained as the decahydrate (washing soda or sal soda) or a white anhydrous powder (soda ash). Formula: Na2CO3 See also washing soda, sal soda, soda ash