Buffer

Data Table 1: Adding 0.1 M HCl from D1 to A1

Number of Drops pH of Solution
0 4.5
2 4.2
4 4.1
6 4.1
8 4
10 4
12 4
14 4
16 4

Data Table 2: Adding 0.1 M NaOH from D6 to A6

Number of Drops pH of Solution
0 4
2 4.3
4 4.5
6 4.5
8 4.5
10 4.5
12 4.5
14 4.5
16 4.5

Data Table 3: Adding 6.0 M from Pipet to B1

Number of Drops pH of Solution
0 4
2 3.9
4 3.5
6 1
8 1
10 1

Data Table 4: Adding 6.0 M from Pipet to B6

Number of Drops pH of Solution
0 4
2 5
4 5.5
6 6
8 7
10 14

Data Table 5: Adding 0.1 M HCl from D1 to C1

Number of Drops pH of Solution
0 5
2 4.5
4 4
6 4
8 4
10 3

Data Table 6: Adding 0.1 M NaOH from D6 to C6

Number of Drops pH of Solution
0 5
2 9
4 10
6 11
8 11
10 11

Buffer can help to maintain the pH, so the pH will be stable. When the solution is added by a
base or an acid, buffer prevents the pH of the solution change by providing H + or OH- ions to
balance it.

CH3COOH(aq) + NaOH(aq)  CH3COONa(aq) + H2O(l)

In buffer solution sodium acetate dissociates as

CH3COONa  CH3COO- + Na+

When HCl is added to buffer, H+ ions from HCl react with CH3COO-

H+ + CH3COO-  CH3COOH

When NaOH is added to buffer, OH- ions from NaOH react with CH3COOH

OH- + CH3COOH  CH3COO- + H2O

We can see from both of the tables that at one point the pH remains constant. It is because the solutions
resist the pH changes and support the role of a buffer.

By looking at the data tables 1 until 4, we can see that the acetic acid buffer shows equal buffer capacity in
the case of dilute acid or base. From data table 1 the pH remains constant after the sixth drops of dilute
acid. While on the data table 2, the pH remains constant after second drops of NaOH. Then on the data
table 3, the pH remains constant after forth drops of concentrated base. Comparing to the data table 4 that
shows the pH still changing after the tenth drops. We can conclude that the buffer has higher buffer
capacity with respect to the concentrated base than the concentrated acid.

From data tables 5 and 6, the pH of the distilled water change immediately after adding dilute base and acid
respectively. Then distilled water does not act as a buffer.

nacetate
pH = pKa + log ( )
nacetic acid
nacetate
5.12  4.74  log( )
nacetic acid
nacetate
log( )  0.38
nacetic acid
nacetate
log( )
10  100.38
nacetic acid

nacetate
 2.40
nacetic acid
nacetate  2.40  10 mmol  24 mmol