Common Ion Effect, Buffers and

Indicators
 Common Ion Effect
• Shift in equilibrium caused by the addition of a
compound having an ion in common with the
dissolved substance.

• Special case of the Le Châtelier’s principle

 Common Ion Effect
• CH3COONa and CH3COOH in solution

CH3COONa(s) → CH3COO-(aq) + Na+(aq)

CH3COOH(aq) + H2O ↔ CH3COO-(aq) + H3O+(aq)

Addition of CH3COO- will suppress the ionization

of CH3COOH
 Henderson-Hasselbalch equation
For a weak acid HA:
(derive please)

pH = pKa + log

NOTE: we use [ ]i and not [ ]eq as long as [ ]i≥0.1M

Calculate….
• What is the pH of a 0.30M HCOOH solution?
pKa= 3.77
• What will be the pH in the presence of 0.52M
HCOOK?
 Henderson-Hasselbalch equation
• For a weak base and a salt with a common ion

• pOH = pKb + log

 Buffer Solutions
• Solution of (1) a weak acid/base and (2) its
salt.
• Both components must be present

• The solution has the ability to resist pH

changes upon the addition of either an acid or
a base.
 Buffer Solutions
• For a simple acetic acid/acetate buffer

CH3COONa(s) → CH3COO-(aq) + Na+(aq)

CH3COO-(aq) + H+(aq) → CH3COOH(aq)

CH3COOH(aq) + OH-(aq) → CH3COO-(aq) + H2O
 Buffer Solutions
• See animation
Analyze….
• Which of the following are buffer systems?

• KH2PO4/H3PO4
• NaClO4/HClO4
• C5H5N(weak base)/C5H5NHCl (C5H5N+H is a weak
acid)
• KF/HF
• KBr/HBr
 Buffering Capacity
• Effectiveness of a buffer
• Ability to resist pH changes
• Depends on the amount of acid and conjugate
base
• Amount of acid/base needed to
decrease/increase the pH by 1.0
• pH = pKa (maximum buffering capacity)
 Buffer range/pH range
• pH range over which a buffer is effective

pH = pKa ± 1
Calculate….
• What is the pH of a buffer system containing
1.0 M CH3COOH and 1.0 M CH3COONa?
• What is the pH after adding 0.10 mole of HCl
to 1.0 L of the solution?
• What is the pH after adding 0.10 mole of
NaOH to 1.0 L of the solution?

• NOTE: Assume no volume changes

 Preparing a buffer solution
• If [acid] ≈ [conj. base], then log ≈0
• pH ≈ pKa
Calculate….
• How would you prepare a phosphate buffer with a
pH of 7.40?

• Ka1= 7.5 x 10-3

• Ka2= 6.2 x 10-8
• Ka3= 4.8 x 10-13
Calculate….
• How will you prepare a carbonate buffer at pH
10.10? You are provided with carbonic acid,
sodium hydrogen carbonate and sodium
carbonate.
• Ka1 = 4.2 x 10-7
• Ka2 = 4.8 x 10-11
 Acid-Base Indicators
• Weak acids/bases that have distinctly different
colors in their HIn and In- forms.

• HIn(aq) ↔ H+(aq) + In-(aq)

• Acidic: HIn color predominates

• Basic: In- color predominates
 Acid-Base Indicators
• color of HIn predominates

• color of In- predominates

• If [Hin] ≈ [In-], combination of 2 colors

Acid-Base Indicators
 ¿listo? Teneís un QUIZ
• What is the pH of a solution that is 0.20 M in
NH3 and 0.30 M in NH4Cl? Compare its pH in a
0.20 M NH3 solution. Kb = 1.8 x 10-5

• Mr. Eugenio was asked to prepare a buffer at

pH = 8.60, using one of the ff. weak acids, HA
(Ka = 2.7 x 10-3), HB (Ka = 4.4 x 10-6), HC (Ka =
2.6 x 10-9) Which acid did Mr. Eugenio choose
(well, if he performed it correctly hehehe)?