BIOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY

WATER, ACIDS, BASES AND BUFFER (2)

JAILOUISE A. PEREZ
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING

WATER

Water: The Solvent for Biochemical Reactions

Structure and Polarity
 Dipole: the condition of having positive and negative
charges

4 Types of Non-covalent Interactions

Hydrogen Bonds

 Largely determines the solvent properties of water

Interaction of Water Molecules

Van der Waals

Ionic
Acid-Base Property
 Autoionization:

Hydrophobic

ACIDS, BASES, AND BUFFER

Acid
 pH less than 7
 Neutralizes bases
 Forms H + ions in solution
 Corrosive-reacts with most metals to form hydrogen
gas
 Good conductors of electricity

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 Acids Generate Ions
HNO3 + H2O  H3O+ + NO3
Weak vs Strong Acids
 Weak Acids do not ionize completely: Acetic, Boric,
Nitrous, Phosphoric, Sulfurous
 Strong Acids ionize completely: Hydrochloric, Nitric;
Sulfuric, Hydriodic
Common Acids
 HCl- hydrochloric - stomach acid
 H2SO4- sulfuric acid - car batteries
 HNO3 – nitric acid - explosives
 HC2H3O2- acetic acid - vinegar
 H2CO3- carbonic acid – sodas
 H3PO4- phosphoric acid - flavorings
Base
 pH greater than 7
 Feels slippery
 Dissolves fats and oils
 Usually forms OH- ions in solution
 Neutralizes acids
Weak vs Strong Bases
 Weak Bases: ammonia; potassium carbonate, sodium
carbonate
 Strong Bases: sodium hydroxide; sodium phosphate;
barium hydroxide; calcium hydroxide
Common Bases
 NaOH- sodium hydroxide (LYE) soaps, drain cleaner
 Mg (OH)2 - magnesium hydroxide-antacids
 Al(OH)3-aluminum hydroxide-antacids, deodorants
 NH4OH-ammonium hydroxide- “ammonia”
Buffers
 A buffer is a solution that resists changes in pH when
small amounts of acids and bases are added.
Types of Acids and Bases
 In the 1800’s chemical concepts were based on the
reactions of aqueous solutions.
 Svante Arrhenius developed a concept of acids and
bases relevant to reactions in H2O.
o Arrhenius acid – produces hydrogen ions in
water.
o Arrhenius base – produce hydroxide ions in
water.
 A broader ,more modern concept of acids and bases
was developed later.
o Bronsted-Lowry acid- donates a hydrogen ion
in a reaction.
o Bronsted – Lowry base – accepts a hydrogen
in a reaction.
 Conjugate acid- compound formed when an base
gains a hydrogen ion.
 Conjugate base – compound formed when an acid
loses a hydrogen ion.
Conjugate Acid-Base Pairs
 Conjugate acid- species formed when a base has
accepted a proton.
 Conjugate base- species formed when an acid has
donated or removed a proton.
 Example: Acetic Acid ionizes according to the ff.
chemical equation
CH3COOH ⇌ CH3COO- + H+
CH3COOH + H2O ⇌ CH3COO- + H3O+
Strong vs Weak Acids and Bases
Strong Acids and Bases
 Essentially go to 100% ionization
 Rxn normally shown with single headed arrow.

Reaction with Indicators

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Weak Acids and Bases

 Partially dissociate or ionize, reaching some dynamic
equilibrium state.
 Reaction normally shown with double headed arrow.
HCN ⇌ H+ + CN-
 Weak acids and bases significant in biological
systems.

Self-Ionization of Water
pH Paper  Pure water slightly ionizes on its own with equilibrium
 pH paper changes color to indicate a specific pH value. reactant favored.
H2O(l) + H2O(l) ⇌ H3O+(aq) + OH-(aq)

Ionization Constant
 The ionization of a weak electrolyte ( weak acids or
weak base) is always a REVERSIBLE PROCESS.
 All reversible reactions will always attain a state of
equilibrium
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 Kc for water ionization = Kw

Kw = ionization constant for water or

= ion product constant for water

Kw = [H+] [OH-] = 1 x 10-14 at 25oC

What are [H+] and [OH-] for pure water at 25oC?

[H+] [OH-] = 1 x 10-14 or
[H3O+] [OH-] = 1 x 10-14

 Neutral Solution [H+] = [OH-]

 Acidic Solution [H+] > [OH-]
 Basic Solution [H+] < [OH-]
or [H3O+]

Weak Acid Equilibrium Rxns

A. Acid Ionization Constant - Give the acid ionization Acid Dissociation Constant
constant expression for
a. the acid:

HA(aq) + H2O(l) ⇌ H3O+(aq) + A-(aq)

or
HA(aq) ⇌ H+(aq) + A-(aq)

Ka = ?

Base Dissociation Constant

Measures of Acidity/Alkalinity

B. Base Ionization Constant (base will accept proton from

H2O, forming OH-) - Give the base ionization constant
expression for
a. the base:
pH Scale
B(aq) + H2O(l) ⇌ BH+(aq) + OH-(aq)  In most aqueous weak acid and base solutions, the H+
Kb = ? concentrations are very small. Easier to express
concentrations using a logarithmic relationship.
 Thus: pH = -log [H+]

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  Made from the combination of a weak acid & its salt
 Made from the combination of a weak base & its salt
 Buffer Examples:
o Mix acetic acid & sodium acetate
o Mix ammonia & ammonium chloride
 A buffer solution works best when the acid to salt ratio
is 1 : 1
 A buffer solution works best when the base to salt ratio
is 1 : 1
 The buffering capacity of a solution works best when
the pH is near the pKa
pKa or pKb
pKa = - log Ka
pKb = - log Kb

pH of Common Substances

 Henderson-Hasselbach Equation

o Buffer solution consisting of weak base and

its conjugate acid or salt
o Ex.: NH4OH + NH4Cl

What is the relationship between pH and pOH?

[H+] [OH-] = 1 x 10-14
(-log [H+]) + (-log [OH-]) = -log (1 x 10-14)
pH + pOH = pKa

pH + pOH = 14

Recall for Problem Solving

NOTE: ****[H+] is the same as [H3O+]

1. pH = -log [H+]
2. [H+] = 10-pH or antilog (-pH) = [H+]
3. pOH = -log [OH-]
4. [OH-] = 10-pOH or
5. antilog (-pOH-) = [OH-]
6. [H+] [OH-] = 1 x 10-14
7. pH + pOH = 14

Buffer Solutions
 A solution that resists changes in pH
Buffering Capacity
 Capacity of the buffer to resist the change in the pH of
a solution when an acid or alkali is added is called
buffering capacity.

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 It is estimated by calculating the amount of acid or
alkali required to change the pH of one litre of buffer by
one unit.
 Buffering capacity depends upon the following factors:
o The concentration of the acid and base
component of the buffer As the concentration
of acid and base component of the buffer
increases, buffering capacity of the buffer also
increases.
o The pH of the Buffer Buffer can act best at pH
= pKa, and its buffering range is about one pH
unit above or below the pKa value

Examples of Buffers in Living Systems