One chemical property that is different for sugar than baking soda is their reaction with acids.

* Sugar (sucrose) is a neutral compound and does not react significantly with acids.

* Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a base and reacts vigorously with acids to produce carbon dioxide gas, water, and a salt. This reaction is what causes baking soda to "rise" in baking.

This difference in reactivity with acids is a key chemical property that distinguishes sugar from baking soda.