Jonah Patel
To determine which of the pairs constitutes a buffer solution, we must first understand what a buffer solution is and what components make it up. A buffer solution is a system that resists changes in pH when small amounts of acid or base are added. There are two types of buffer solutions: acidic buffers and basic buffers. Acidic buffers are composed of a weak acid and its conjugate base (a salt), while basic buffers are composed of a weak base and its conjugate acid (a salt). To identify which of the pairs is a buffer solution, we need to analyze each pair to determine if they consist of a weak acid and its conjugate base or a weak base and its conjugate acid.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of buffer | Acidic buffer |
| Composition | Weak acid and its conjugate base (salt) |
| Example | HNO2 and NaNO2 |
| Non-examples | NaOH and NaCl, HNO3 and NH4NO3, HCl and KCl |
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What You'll Learn
- Acidic buffers are composed of a weak acid and its conjugate base (salt)
- Basic buffers are composed of a weak base and its conjugate acid (salt)
- HNO2 and NaNO2 constitute a buffer solution that can resist changes in pH
- NaOH and NaCl do not constitute a buffer as neither can act as a weak acid or weak base
- HCl and KCl do not constitute a buffer as neither can act as a weak acid or weak base
Acidic buffers are composed of a weak acid and its conjugate base (salt)
Buffers are solutions that resist changes in pH when small amounts of acid or base are introduced. Acidic buffers are composed of a weak acid and its conjugate base (salt).
A weak acid is defined as one that rarely dissociates in water. This means that it only occasionally loses its proton (H+) to water. The conjugate base is a weak base, and it rarely interacts with water to steal a proton (H+). As a result, the weak acid and weak base stay in the solution with high concentrations because they rarely react with water.
However, they are very likely to react with any added strong base or strong acid. For example, if a strong base is added to a buffer, the weak acid will give up its proton to transform the base (OH-) into water (H2O) and the conjugate base. The acid and conjugate base may react with one another, but when they do, they simply trade places and their concentrations remain unchanged.
An example of an acidic buffer is a solution of acetic acid and sodium acetate. This is a buffer that consists of a weak acid (acetic acid) and its salt (sodium acetate). The pH of this buffer is determined by the nature of the conjugate pair and the concentrations of both components.
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Basic buffers are composed of a weak base and its conjugate acid (salt)
A buffer solution is a system that resists changes in pH when small amounts of acid or base are added. There are two types of buffer solutions: acidic and basic.
When a small amount of acid or base is added to a basic buffer solution, the solution's pH resists change. This is because the base in the buffer reacts with the added acid, or vice versa, preventing a significant shift in the hydronium ion concentration.
It's important to note that not any combination of an acid and base will create a buffer. For example, mixing HCl and NaOH will simply result in the neutralization of the acid and base, forming a neutral salt. To create a buffer, the acid and base must be part of the same equilibrium system. This means that neutralizing one component will transform it into the other, maintaining the buffer mixture.
The pH of a basic buffer is determined by the nature of the conjugate pair and the concentrations of both components. For instance, a mixture of acetic acid and sodium acetate is acidic because the Ka of acetic acid is greater than the Kb of its conjugate base acetate.
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HNO2 and NaNO2 constitute a buffer solution that can resist changes in pH
When an acid is added to a solution, it typically causes the pH to decrease, making the solution more acidic. However, when an acid is added to the HNO2/NaNO2 buffer solution, the HNO2 in the buffer neutralizes the added acid by reacting to form its conjugate base, NO2-. This reaction prevents a significant decrease in pH, helping to maintain a stable acidic environment.
Similarly, when a base is introduced to a solution, it usually causes the pH to increase, making the solution more basic or alkaline. In the case of the HNO2/NaNO2 buffer, the NaNO2 neutralizes added bases by reacting to form its conjugate acid, HNO2. This reaction prevents a substantial rise in pH, thus preserving the solution's acidic nature.
For example, if HCl (hydrochloric acid) is added to the HNO2/NaNO2 buffer, the H+ ions from HCl are consumed by HNO2, preventing a sharp drop in pH. Conversely, when NaOH (sodium hydroxide) is introduced, its OH- ions are neutralized by HNO2, preventing a significant increase in pH. These specific reactions involving HNO2 and NaNO2 align with established buffer chemistry theories, demonstrating their effectiveness as a buffer solution.
In summary, the combination of HNO2 and NaNO2 forms a buffer solution that can resist changes in pH due to the presence of a weak acid and its conjugate base. This buffer system neutralizes added acids and bases through specific reactions, helping to maintain a stable acidic environment even when small amounts of acids or bases are introduced.
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NaOH and NaCl do not constitute a buffer as neither can act as a weak acid or weak base
A buffer solution is a system that resists changes in pH when small amounts of acid or base are added. There are two types of buffer solutions: acidic and basic. An acidic buffer is composed of a weak acid and its conjugate base (a salt), whereas a basic buffer is composed of a weak base and its conjugate acid (also a salt).
NaOH is a strong base, and NaCl is a salt. Neither of these can act as a weak acid or weak base. As such, they do not constitute a buffer solution.
To act as a buffer, the solution must be composed of either a weak acid or weak base and the salt of its conjugate. For example, a mixture of acetic acid and sodium acetate is a buffer solution because it contains a weak acid (acetic acid) and its salt (sodium acetate). This mixture can keep the hydronium ion concentration (and the pH) almost constant by adding either a small amount of a strong acid or a strong base.
Another example of a buffer solution is HNO2 and NaNO2. HNO2 is a weak acid, and NaNO2 is its conjugate base. When combined, they form a buffer solution that can resist changes in pH.
Buffers are often used in biochemical studies of enzymes and other chemical components of cells to prevent pH changes that might alter the biochemical activity of these compounds.
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HCl and KCl do not constitute a buffer as neither can act as a weak acid or weak base
A buffer solution is a system that resists changes in pH when small amounts of acid or base are added. There are two types of buffer solutions: acidic and basic. Acidic buffers are composed of a weak acid and its conjugate base (a salt), while basic buffers are composed of a weak base and its conjugate acid (also a salt).
HCl is a strong acid, and KCl is a salt. Neither of these can act as a weak acid or weak base. HCl is often used in buffer solutions, but it is not the buffer itself. For example, in an HCl/NaCl buffer, the HCl is used alongside the sodium chloride (NaCl) to increase the solution's ionic strength, which improves the water's buffer capacity. However, this does not mean that HCl and KCl constitute a buffer, as neither can act as a weak acid or base.
Buffers must consist of a mixture of a weak conjugate acid-base pair. For example, HNO2 is a weak acid, and NaNO2 is a salt of a weak acid (HNO2) with a strong base (NaOH). This makes HNO2 and NaNO2 an example of an acidic buffer solution. Another example is NH3 and NH4Cl, where NH3 is a weak base, and NH4 is its conjugate acid.
In summary, HCl and KCl do not constitute a buffer solution as neither can act as a weak acid or weak base, which is a necessary component of a buffer solution.
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Frequently asked questions
A buffer solution is a combination of a weak acid and its conjugate base (a salt) or a weak base and its conjugate acid (a salt). It resists changes in pH when small amounts of acid or base are introduced.
Identify the acid and base in each pair and whether they are weak or strong. A buffer solution will always be a combination of a weak acid and its conjugate base or a weak base and its conjugate acid.
HNO3 is a strong acid and HNO2 is a weak acid. This pair does not constitute a buffer solution as it is missing a conjugate base or weak base.
NaOH is a strong base, and NaCl is a salt. This pair does not constitute a buffer solution as neither can act as a weak acid or weak base.
HNO2 is a weak acid, and NaNO2 is its conjugate base. This pair constitutes a buffer solution as it includes a weak acid and its conjugate base.
