Sodium Carbonate

Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3, (also known as washing soda, soda ashand soda crystals) is the inorganic compound with the formula Na2CO3and its various hydrates. All forms are white, water-soluble salts. All forms have a strongly alkaline taste and give moderately alkaline solutions in water. Historically it was extracted from the ashes of plants growing in sodium-rich soils. Because the ashes of these sodium-rich plants were noticeably different from ashes of wood (once used to produce potash), sodium carbonate became known as "soda ash".[12] It is produced in large quantities from sodium chloride and limestone by the Solvay process.