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Reece Rizzetta
Honors Anatomy
Mrs. Latham
September 6, 2017
Running Head: Biological Buffers 2
Introduction
Buffers are molecules that give or receive protons in order to counterattack changes in
pH. The purpose of biological buffers is so control pH in the body so enzymes do not
lose their shape and become useless. Acids or bases are what cause changes in pH, in
this lab, the acid is HCl and the base is NaOH. The controlled variables are the buffers
used or the substances that the acid or base was put into, these would be: Tap Water,
Sodium Bicarbonate, Buffer with a pH of 7 and Living Tissue (Liver). The independent
variable was the number of drops of acid or base that was put into the substance while
the dependent variable was the change in pH. The purpose of this lab is to demonstrate
how buffers resist changes in pH. If an acid or base is added to a buffer then there will
HCO3-. Ketones are produced whenever there is too much sugar in the blood, they are
molecule. They are countered by HCO3- to make H2CO3, that way the pH can stay
placed but sometimes the body cannot keep up with the amount of ketones causing
written in paragraph form and in steps that are easy to repeat! You should show that
Materials
50 mL beaker
0.1 M NaOH
0.1 M HCl
buffer solution
forceps
graduated cylinder
living tissue
pH paper
Tap water
Procedure
substance. To start, pour 20 mL of each test substance into a beaker. Measure the
initial pH of the substance. Record the results in Table 1, which consist on the
substances, whether HCl or NaOH is used, the number of drops in a 5 drop increment
until 30 drops is reached and lastly the total change in pH per substance. After the
initial pH is recorded add one drop of 0.1M HCl or NaOH and swirl after each drop,
check and record the pH of each substance after 5 drops until 30 drops are reached
then record the total change in pH for each substance. Clean the beakers and repeat
the steps again with the other chemical not used (either HCl or NaOH)
Running Head: Biological Buffers 4
Results
Your data tables should go first, then calculations (show the formulas used and your
work) and your graphs (from EXCEL) should be inserted last. Your graphs should have
a meaningful title, each axis labeled, and a key if appropriate. Your data tables and
Total
NaOH 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Change
Tap Water 7 7 8 9 9 10 10 3
Buffer 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 0
Sodium
Bicarbona
te 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0
Living
Tissue 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 0
Total
HCl 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Change
Tap Water 7 6 6 5 4 3 3 4
Buffer 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 0
Sodium 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 0
Running Head: Biological Buffers 5
Bicarbona
te
Living
Tissue 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 0
Buffer: 7-7 = 0
Buffer: 7-7 = 0
(Sum of pH changes per group/ number of groups + sum of pH changes per group for
Sodium
Discussion
You should refer to the hypothesis (accept or reject it) and use your data (i.e. figure #3
shows) for support. Include the reason you reject or fail to reject your hypothesis(es)
(i.e. statistical data). You also need to include potential problems with the lab and how
the lab could be improved! HUMAN ERROR is not sufficient for this section. A
description of human error would suffice (i.e. incorrect measuring,). REMEMBER NOT
The hypothesis, if an acid or base is added to liver (buffer) then there will be little to no
change in pH, was correct. This can be seen in the first 2 sets of data, change in pH
using HCl and NaOH. Both sets of data show how neither acid or base changed the pH
of the living tissue, while in both sets of data, the water which contained no buffers saw
Running Head: Biological Buffers 9
changes in pH. The purpose of this lab was to show how biological buffers help
maintain pH so enzymes in the human body can properly function. The response of the
living tissue to the addition of acid and base was more similar to the buffer solutions
because the buffer solution had no change in pH just like the living tissue whereas the
water displayed chances in pH. Buffers are a combination of a weak acid and a
conjugate base or vice versa. This is why the solution worked so well is because it
soaks up the extra H or OH molecule which counters the extra acid or base. What was
learned in this lab was that the human body uses buffers to regulate pH. Regulating pH
is important because without it the human body could not properly function. Enzymes
would begin to become deformed and not be able to do its job and the body could not
performs its reactions fast enough causing possible death. An example of buffers
maintaining homeostasis, is when the body releases ketones, which let out an H+
molecule making the blood acidic, buffers release HCO3- which counteracts the H+
molecule maintaining the pH of the blood but without these buffers the blood would
WORKS CITED
Chaudhuri, J., Dr. (n.d.). Ketone Body Metabolism. Retrieved September 8, 2017, from
http://srmuniv.ac.in/sites/default/files/files/KETONEBODYMETABOLISM.pdf