BUFFER SOLUTIONS

RAMÓN, Laura Juliana. VALBUENA, Jonathan David. Universidad Distrital

Francisco José de Caldas. Facultad de Ciencias y Educación. Licenciatura en
Química. 23 de abril de 2018. Análisis químico inorgánico.

ABSTRACT.

A buffer solution is a chemical substance that opposes changes in pH when acids or bases are
added. In this laboratory practice a buffer solution was made with acetic acid, which is a weak acid
and sodium acetate, the salt of its conjugate pair, with a pH of 5, to corroborate its effectiveness a
strong acid was added, and a strong base, which were HCl and NaOH, and it was concluded that the
pH did not change significantly.

KEYWORDS. Buffer solution, pH, base, acid.

THEORIC FRAME. pH= pKa + Log[A-]/[HA]

They are called "Buffer" solutions and are
those that oppose changes in pH, when they
are added acids or alkalis (hydroxides). Its
action is based mainly on the absorption of
hydrogen (H+) or hydroxyl ions (OH-).
Generally, a buffer is formed by a binary
mixture of a weak acid and a salt of the same
acid from strong base or also, a base and a
salt of this base coming from a strong acid.
The most important application of these
solutions lies in the study of the regulation of
acid = base equilibrium in biological systems,
that is why at the level of biochemical
experiments they are used to control the pH
of in vitro reactions.
Considering that the buffer is a mixture of
weak acid with a salt of the same acid coming
from a strong base and also that a weak acid
is partially ionized, we can represent the
ionization in this way:
HAH+ + A-
Where pka, represents the potential value of
the acid constant of the weak acid. (Moreno,
2014)
They are formed for example by a mixture of
a weak acid and some of their conjugated
bases (Acid Buffer or Acid Buffer) or a weak
base with some of their conjugated acids
(Buffer or Basic Buffer). When adding small
amounts of strong acid or strong base, they
will be neutralized until the weak or weak
acid is consumed, keeping the pH stable.
These solutions are very useful since they
serve to avoid undesired reactions that would
take place if there are variations in the acidity
of the solution.
The Shock-Absorbing Solutions are of vital
importance in Biochemistry since the correct
functioning at the cellular level depends on
the constancy of pH in organisms. They are
also important at the industrial level and in
the laboratory. (Londiño, 2012)

Applying the law of mass action and taking

into account the dissociation constant, the
following expression is obtained:
DATA ANALYSIS. A buffer or buffer, has the ability to withstand
changes in pH when small amounts of acids
Buffer solution: pH 5 and bases are added. This must contain a
CH3COOH + + OH-  CH3COO- + H2O relatively large concentration of acid to react
with the OH- to be added; and it must also
[CH3COO−] contain a similar concentration of the similar
pH= pKa + 𝑙𝑜𝑔 [CH3COOH +]
base to react with the amount of H + ions
[CH3COO−] added to it. In addition, the acidic and basic
pH –pKa = 𝑙𝑜𝑔 [CH3COOH
+] components of the buffer must not be
consumed by one another in a neutralization
[CH3COO−]
5-4,75= 𝑙𝑜𝑔 [CH3COOH reaction. These requirements are satisfied
+]
with a conjugate base ion-base pair, for
[CH3COO−]
0,25 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔 [CH3COOH example a weak acid and its conjugate base
+]
(supplied by a salt) or a weak base and its
[CH3COO−] conjugate acid (supplied by a salt).
100.25=[CH3COOH +]*
A quite satisfactory method to determine the
[CH3COO-] + [CH3COOH +] =0,5M PH of a solution consists in the use of the PH
indicators. These are very weak acids (or
[CH3COOH +]=0,5M-[CH3COO-]
bases) that have a different color from their
*100.25(0,5M-[CH3COO-]) = [CH3COO-] base (or conjugated acid). When the indicator
is predominant in its acid or basic form, it has
100.25(0,5M)= [CH3COO-]+ 100.25[CH3COO-] a clear coloration. As the dissociation or
association is appreciable, a gradual change
0,88= [CH3COO-] (1+100.25)
in the coloration of the solution is observed.
0.88
=[CH3COO-] This change is caused by the superposition of
2.77 the colors characteristic of their acidic or
[CH3COO-]=0,31674M basic forms. In the case of the indicator used,
methyl orange, in its acidic form, its
[CH3COOH +]=0,5M-[CH3COO-] characteristic color is red, which is why
beaker 2, (distilled water) when adding HCl,
[CH3COOH +]=0,5M-0,31674M contributed the color red and adding NaOH.
[CH3COOH +]=0,18325M It should have adopted a color almost yellow,
but the change did not persist (I just clarified
[CH3COO−] a bit). In the other beakers there was no
pH= pKa + 𝑙𝑜𝑔 [CH3COOH +]
change.
[0,31674M]
pH= pKa + 𝑙𝑜𝑔 [0,18325M] CONCLUSIONS.

pH= 4,99  A buffer solution of the required pH

was achieved.
In this way it was possible to determine the  By adding HCl the low pH to 4.5 and
concentration of acetic acid and acetate, to adding NaOH the pH rose to 4.7
make a buffer solution of 4,99 meaning that the buffer solution was
 effective since the pH did not
undergo drastic changes.

Bibliografía
Londiño, A. (2012). Soluciones tampón.
Bogotá: Universidad Antonio Nariño.

Moreno, J. E. (2014). Soluciones buffer o

amortiguadoras. Cali: UNIVERSIDAD
NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA.