Sue Meyer, age 14, of Roseville, Minn., for her question:

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BAKING SODA AND BAKING POWDER?

Baking powder is a powder used to make cakes and breads rise, or leaven. The chemicals in the powder react with air and a liquid usually water or milk to form carbon dioxide gas. Bubbles of this gas, trapped in the flour mixture, expand when heated and make the mixture rise.
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. It also acts as a leavening agent in baking because it causes bread and biscuits to rise in baking. The product can also be used to relieve excess stomach acid taking powder contains starch, acid forming ingredients and also baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate.
Baking soda and sour milk have the same rising effect on flour n.ixtures as baking powder and sweet milk