Can sodium bicarbonate make water hard?

Explanation

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify Sodium Bicarbonate**: Sodium bicarbonate is chemically represented as NaHCO3. It is commonly known as baking soda.

2. **Understand Water Hardness**: Water hardness is primarily caused by the presence of dissolved minerals, particularly calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺) ions. Hard water can lead to scaling and reduced effectiveness of soaps and detergents.

3. **Analyze the Composition of Sodium Bicarbonate**: Sodium bicarbonate consists of sodium ions (Na⁺) and bicarbonate ions (HCO3⁻). It does not contain calcium or magnesium ions, which are responsible for water hardness.

...