sodium carbonate

noun

: a sodium salt of carbonic acid used especially in making soaps and chemicals, in water softening, in cleaning and bleaching, and in photography: such as

a

: a hygroscopic crystalline anhydrous strongly alkaline salt Na₂CO₃

b

: the transparent crystalline hydrate Na₂CO₃·10H₂O found in nature as natron

Examples of sodium carbonate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bright deposits on the dwarf planet Ceres, the largest body in the asteroid belt, contain sodium carbonate. —Ars Technica, 30 Jan. 2025

The first compound the team discovered in the Bennu sample was sodium carbonate, which had never been observed before in any other asteroid or meteorite. —Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 29 Jan. 2025

The Nature study points out that the dwarf planet Ceres and Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus have also shown evidence of sodium carbonate brines in recent years. —Ella Jeffries, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Jan. 2025

Most significantly, the researchers discovered sodium carbonate, which is often found in dry, salty lake beds on Earth. —Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 29 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

sodium carbonate

noun

: a sodium salt used especially in making soaps and chemicals, in water softening, in cleaning and bleaching, and in photography

Medical Definition

sodium carbonate

noun

: a sodium salt of carbonic acid used especially in making soaps and chemicals, in water softening, in cleaning and bleaching, and in photography: as

a

: a hygroscopic crystalline anhydrous strongly alkaline salt Na₂CO₃

b

: washing soda