Correct Answer:
C. Salt
The correct answer is Salt because sodium chloride (NaCl) is the precise chemical name for common table salt used daily in cooking and food preservation.
- Step 1 (Chemical Composition): Sodium chloride is an ionic compound made up of equal parts of the elements sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). It crystallizes into cubic structures and is essential for biological life, regulating fluid balances and nerve impulses.
- Incorrect Options:
- Baking soda is incorrect because baking soda is the common name for an entirely different chemical compound, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3).
- Sugar is incorrect because sugar is a carbohydrate organic compound, typically sucrose (C12H22O11), derived from plant sources.
- None of these is incorrect because salt is the exact household name for this mineral.