How to test if I have sodium carbonate?
apply heat to both of them, when heat is applied to sodium carbonate, it wont decompose, as it is a very stable compound heat wont cause it to decompose, on the other hand, when heat is applied to sodium bicarbonate it will decompose producing carbon dioxide, water and sodium carbonate, to test if carbon dioxide is indeed evolving use lime water if it turns cloudy then the carbon dioxide has evolved and the one that causes the evolution of carbon dioxide is sodium bicarbonate as it is unstable and will decompose by heat
