E2-BUFFER & PH CHANGES

OBJECTIVES

1. To understand the nature of a buffer.

2. To prepare a buffer from acetic acid and sodium acetate.
3. To test the ability of buffered and unbuffered solutions
to resist pH changes when strong acids and bases are
added.
Buffer Solutions
• Resist changes in pH when an acid or base is added.

• Act by neutralizing acid or base that is added to the buffered solution.

• Contain either
• Significant amounts of a weak acid and its conjugate base
• Significant amounts of a weak base and its conjugate acid
• Blood has a mixture of H2CO3 and HCO3−
Making an Buffer Solution
• It must contain significant amounts of both a weak acid and its
conjugate base.
Buffering Effectiveness
• A good buffer should be able to neutralize moderate amounts of added
acid or base.
• However, there is a limit to how much can be added before the pH
changes significantly.
• The buffering capacity is the amount of acid or base a buffer can
neutralize.
• The buffering range is the pH range the buffer can be effective.
• The effectiveness of a buffer depends on two factors (1) the relative
amounts of acid and base, and (2) the absolute concentrations of acid
and base.
Buffering Capacity

A concentrated
buffer can
neutralize more
added acid or
base than a
dilute buffer.
Method to Prepare A Buffer Solution
• First Method : By the Titration, in the presence of one of the two
buffer forms with strong base or acid.

• Second Method: Using the buffer pKa , calculate the amounts (in
moles) of acid/salt or base/salt present in the buffer at the desired
pH.

• The Third Method: Using table

 Part A. Buffer Preparation

50mL 0.1M 50mL 0.1M 50mL 0.1M

Acetic Acid Acetic Acid Acetic Acid

50mL 100mL
1g Sodium 5g Sodium 10g Sodium
Water NaCl
Acetate Acetate Acetate

1 2 3 4 5

50mL 0.1M 50mL 0.1M 50mL 0.1M

Acetic Acid Acetic Acid Acetic Acid

50mL 100mL
1g Sodium 5g Sodium 10g Sodium
Water NaCl
Acetate Acetate Acetate

6 7 8 9 10
Part B. The Determination of Buffering Action
towards Acid
• Add 1 mL of 6.0M HCL
• Measure pH using pH Meter
• Measure pH using and record as 1st Reading
pH Meter and • Add 1mL of 6.0M HCL
record as initial continuously until slight
Reading Add
1mL,6.0M HCL
change in pH reading and
record pH reading in every
50mL 50mL mL HCL addition and
Water Water volume HCL until pH change
1 1
• Add 1 mL of 6.0M HCL
• Measure pH using pH
Meter and record as 1st
Reading
• Measure pH using • Add 1mL of 6.0M HCL
pH Meter and Add
1mL,6.0M HCL continuously until slight
record as initial change in pH reading and
100mL Reading 100mL record pH reading in every
NaCl NaCl
mL HCL addition and
volume HCL until pH
2 2
change
 Continue
• Measure pH using • Add 1 mL of 6.0M HCL
pH Meter and Add • Measure pH using pH Meter
1mL,6.0M HCL
record as initial and record as 1st Reading
Reading • Add 1mL of 6.0M HCL
50mL 0.1M 50mL 0.1M
Acetic Acid continuously until slight
Acetic Acid
change in pH reading and
1g Sodium 1g Sodium record pH reading in every
Acetate Acetate mL HCL addition and
3 volume HCL until pH change
3

• Add 1 mL of 6.0M HCL

• Measure pH using Add • Measure pH using pH Meter
pH Meter and 1mL,6.0M HCL and record as 1st Reading
record as initial • Add 1mL of 6.0M HCL
50mL 0.1M Reading 50mL 0.1M continuously until slight
Acetic Acid Acetic Acid
change in pH reading and
5g Sodium 5g Sodium record pH reading in every
Acetate Acetate mL HCL addition and
volume HCL until pH change
4 4
Continue

• Add 1 mL of 6.0M HCL

Add • Measure pH using pH Meter
1mL,6.0M HCL
• Measure pH using and record as 1st Reading
pH Meter and • Add 1mL of 6.0M HCL
50mL 0.1M 50mL 0.1M
record as initial Acetic Acid continuously until slight
Acetic Acid
Reading change in pH reading and
10g Sodium 10g Sodium record pH reading in every
Acetate Acetate mL HCL addition and
5 volume HCL until pH change
5
 Part C. The Determination of Buffering Action
towards Base
• Add 1 mL of 6.0M NaOH
• Measure pH using • Measure pH using pH Meter
pH Meter and and record as 1st Reading
record as initial • Add 1mL of 6.0M NaOH
Reading Add continuously until slight
1mL,6.0M
NaOH
change in pH reading and
record pH reading in every
50mL 50mL
mL NaOH addition and
Water Water
volume NaOH until pH
6 6 change

• Add 1 mL of 6.0M NaOH

• Measure pH using • Measure pH using pH Meter
pH Meter and and record as 1st Reading
record as initial • Add 1mL of 6.0M NaOH
Add
Reading 1mL,6.0M continuously until slight
NaOH change in pH reading and
100mL 100mL record pH reading in every
NaCl NaCl mL NaOH addition and
volume NaOH until pH
7 7 change
 Continue
• Add 1 mL of 6.0M NaOH
• Measure pH using Add • Measure pH using pH Meter
1mL,6.0M
pH Meter and NaOH
and record as 1st Reading
record as initial • Add 1mL of 6.0M NaOH
50mL 0.1M Reading 50mL 0.1M continuously until slight
Acetic Acid Acetic Acid
change in pH reading and
record pH reading in every
1g Sodium 1g Sodium
Acetate Acetate mL NaOH addition and
volume NaOH until pH
8 8 change

• Add 1 mL of 6.0M NaOH

Add
• • Measure pH using pH Meter
Measure pH using 1mL,6.0M
pH Meter and NaOH and record as 1st Reading
• Add 1mL of 6.0M NaOH
50mL 0.1M
record as initial 50mL 0.1M
Reading Acetic Acid
continuously until slight
Acetic Acid
change in pH reading and
5g Sodium 5g Sodium record pH reading in every
Acetate Acetate mL NaOH addition and
volume NaOH until pH
9 9
change
 Continue
• Add 1 mL of 6.0M NaOH
Add
• Measure pH using 1mL,6.0M • Measure pH using pH Meter
pH Meter and NaOH and record as 1st Reading
record as initial • Add 1mL of 6.0M NaOH
50mL 0.1M 50mL 0.1M
Acetic Acid Reading Acetic Acid continuously until slight
change in pH reading and
10g Sodium 10g Sodium record pH reading in every
Acetate Acetate mL NaOH addition and
10 10 volume NaOH until pH
change
Results
Solution pH After adding 6.0M HCL
B) Initial
1ml 1ml 1ml 1ml
50ml of H20 7 2 2 2 2
50 ml of H20 + 50 ml of 0.1M NaCl 4 2 2 2 2

1g of CH3COONa + 0.1M acetic acid, 5 4 2 2 2

50mL
5g of CH3COONa + 0.1M acetic 6 6 6 3 3
acid,50mL
10g of CH3COONa + 0.1M acetic 6 6 6 6 5
acid,50mL
Solution pH After adding 6.0M Base
C)
Initial
1ml 1ml 1ml 1ml
50ml of H20 7 13 13 13 13
50 ml of H20 + 50 ml of 0.1M NaCl 4 13 13 13 13
1g of CH3COONa + 0.1M acetic 5 8 13 13 13
acid,50mL
5g of CH3COONa + 0.1M acetic 6 6 6 8 10
acid,50mL
10g of CH3COONa + 0.1M acetic 6 6 6 6 8
Calculation of the pH of a Buffer Solution
• Example.
A buffer solution was made by dissolving 5.0 grams of sodium acetate in 50.0 mL of  0.1 M acetic acid.  Assuming the change
in volume when the sodium acetate is not significant, estimate the pH of the acetic acid/sodium acetate buffer solution.  The
Ka for acetic acid is 1.7 x 10-5
• First, write the equation for the ionization of acetic acid.

• CH3COOH(aq) + H2O(l) --> H3O+(aq) + CH3COO-(aq)

• Secondly, based on 2 listed equation:
• [H3O+] = Ka[HA]
• [A-] Eq. 1
• pH = -log[H3O+]
Eq. 2
Continue
• Thirdly, based on eq 1, using the Ka expression.  Rearrange the expression to solve for the hydronium ion concentration
• [H3O+] = Ka[CH3COOH]
• [CH3COO-]
• Then, determine the number of moles of acid and of the conjugate base. (No of moles :liquid solution, MV/1000)
• (0.1 M CH3COOH)(50.0 mL)(1 L/1000 mL) = 0.005 mol CH3COOH
• Given that, MW Sodium Acetate= 82.0348g/mol, if Weight Sodium Acetate was= 5.0g (No of moles: solid, (Mass)/(MW)
• (5.0 g NaCH3COO)(1 mol/82.03 g) = 0.061 mol NaCH3COO
• Substitute these values, along with the Ka value, into the equation 1 and solve for the hydronium ion concentration. 
Convert the hydronium ion concentration into pH using equation 2.
• Given that Ka for acetic acid is 1.7 x 10-5
• Thus,
• [H3O+] = (1.7 x 10-5)(0.005/0.061) = 1.39 x 10-5
• Therefore,
pH= -log (1.39 x 10-5 ) = 3.85 ~ 4
Calculation of the pH of a Buffer Solution
after Addition of a Small Amount of Acid
• Example,
• 4.0 mL of 6.0 M HCl was added to a buffer consisting of 0.061 moles of sodium acetate and 0.005 moles of acetic acid. 
What is the pH of the buffer after the addition of the acid?  Ka of acetic acid is 1.7 x 10-5
• First, write the equation for the ionization of acetic acid in water and the related K a expression rearranged to solve for the
hydronium ion concentration.
• CH3COOH(aq) + H2O(l) --> H3O+(aq) + CH3COO-(aq)
• Then using equation 1, [H3O+] = Ka[CH3COOH]
• [CH3COO-]
• Second, make an "ICE" chart.  Let "x" represent the hydronium ion concentration once equilibrium has been re-
established.  We will assume that all of the added acid is consumed.
  CH3COOH(aq) H3O+(aq) CH3COO-(aq)
Initial 0.005 moles (0.004 L)(6.0 M) = 0.0240 moles 0.061 moles
Amount
Change in
+0.0024  -0.024 moles - 0.024 moles 
Amount

Equilibrium 0.029 moles x 0.037 moles

Amount
Continue
• Then, Substitute into the Ka expression equation 1 and solve for the hydronium ion concentration using equation 2. 
Convert the answer into pH.
• [H3O+] = (1.7 x 10-5)(0.029/0.037) = 1.332 x 10-4
• pH = -log[H3O+]
• pH = -log (1.332 x 10-4) = 2.87 ~ 3.00

• Calculate the pH of the buffer system 0.15M NH3 / 0.35 M NH4C

• Calculate pH of buffer towards base
 Discussion
Your discussion should includes the following but not limited to it;
• Chemical formula, chemical structure of the buffer solutions.
• What is buffer.
• What is conjugate acid and conjugate base for your experiment.
• What is the buffer effectiveness.
• How does buffer effectiveness effect your experiment.
• How does the interaction occurs.
• If the findings do not follow theory, do the explanation.
• From your results in this experiment, which solution of those you tested had the greatest buffer capacity:
• toward strong acid?
• toward strong base?
Discuss, the situation
• Why was distilled water used to rinse off the pH probe?
• Specify which of these systems can be classified as a a buffer system:
a.KCL/HCL b.NH3/NH4NO3 c. NaHPO4/NaH2PO4