BUFFERS strong acid is added:

Buffer - are aqueous systems that tend to resist

• CH3COO– neutralizes the H3O+ (or
changes in pH when small amounts of acid (H+)
H+)
or base (OH-) are added.
• will produce CH3COOH (Already
Buffer solution - a solution that contains the
component of the buffer solution)
conjugate acid-base pair of any weak acid or
base in relative proportions to resist pH change
when small amounts of either an acid or a base
are added.

 Buffers control the pH of the solution.

Buffer solutions are important in most
strong base is added:
biological systems.
 Many biological processes proceed • CH3COOH neutralizes the OH–
effectively only within a limited pH range.
• will produce CH3COO– (already
The presence of buffer systems keeps the
component of the buffer solution)
pH within this limited range.
weak acid and its conjugate base
or
weak base and its conjugate acid
Conjugate base
 one less Hydrogen atom and one more
negative (-) charge
Conjugate acid
 one more Hydrogen atom and one more
positive (+) charge
How does buffer work?
• When a strong acid is added, the base
present in the buffer neutralizes the
hydronium ions (H+).
• When a strong base is added, the acid
present in the buffer neutralizes the
hydroxide ions (OH–).

strong acid is added:

• NH3 neutralizes the H3O+ (or H+)
• will produce NH4+ (already
component of the buffer solution)
strong base is added:
• NH4+ neutralizes the OH–
• will produce NH3 (already
component of the buffer solution)
Calculating a buffer’s pH
 To determine a buffer’s pH, you may
use a Ka or Kb calculation, as we
discuss earlier in the chapter, or you
may use the Henderson-Hasselbalch
equation, which is a shortcut.

Buffer capacity
 maximum amount of either strong acid
or strong base that can be added in the
buffer solution
maximum amount of acid that can be added
to the solution
=
amount of conjugate base present in the
buffer solution

maximum amount of base that can be added

to the solution
=
amount of weak acid present in the buffer
solution
 pH of blood (7.35-7.45) is maintained by
buffer solution in the bloodstream

 more HA and A– means less of effect of

strong acid or strong base added on the
pH of buffer solution
 when enough A− present, the change in
pH of the solution is small
 increase in H3O+ leads to extreme change
in the pH of the solution
 In order to have an effective buffer
solution, concentration of the weak acid
and its conjugate base MUST BE
SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER compared to
the concentration of strong acid or strong
base that may be added.
The greater the values of [CA] and [CB], the
greater the buffer capacity of the solution.
The buffer capacity indicates how much acid or
base may be added to a buffer before the buffer
ceases to function.
A buffer in which the [CA] = [CB] = 1.0 would
have a much higher buffer capacity for adding
either acids or bases than a buffer in which the
[CA] = [CB] = 0.1.
If there were a buffer in which [CA] = 1.0 and its
[CB] = 0.1, the buffer would have a higher
buffer capacity for additions of a base than for
additions of an acid because the buffer contains
more acid than base.
For the buffer to be as flexible as possible, the
concentrations of the conjugate acid-base pair
should be as close to equal as possible and as
high as possible.
Buffer system of the blood
Bicarbonate Buffer System
acid enters the bloodstream
• HCO3– combines with H3O+
• forms H2CO3 and H2O.
• prevents blood pH from becoming
acidic
base enters the bloodstream
• H2CO3 combines with OH–
• –
forms HCO3 and H2O.
• prevents blood pH from becoming
basic
This buffering mechanism prevents the blood
from becoming acidic or basic.
Identifying common physiological buffers
 In the human body, the pH of various
body fluids is important. The pH of blood
is 7.4, the pH of stomach acid is 1–2, and
the pH in the intestinal tract is 8–9.
 If the pH of blood is more than 0.2 pH
units lower than normal, a condition
known as acidosis results; a
corresponding increase in pH of about
the same magnitude is alkalosis.
Acidosis and alkalosis, which may lead to
serious health problems, each have two
general causes:
Respiratory acidosis
- is the result of many diseases that
impair respiration, including pneumonia,
emphysema, and asthma. These diseases
are marked by inefficient expulsion of
carbon dioxide, leading to an increase in
the concentration of carbonic acid,
H2CO3.
 Metabolic acidosis
- is due to a decrease in the
concentration of HCO3 (the bicarbonate
ion). This decrease may be the result of
certain kidney diseases, uncontrolled
diabetes, and cases of vomiting involving
nonacid fluids. Poisoning by an acid salt
may also lead to metabolic acidosis.
Respiratory alkalosis
- may result from hyperventilation,
because this excessive removal of carbon
dioxide can lead to a decrease in the
H2CO3 concentration. Immediate
treatment includes breathing into a
paper bag, which increases the carbon
dioxide concentration in the inhaled air
and, therefore, in the blood.
Metabolic alkalosis
- may result from excessive vomiting of
stomach acid.
To resist these pH problems, the blood has a
number of buffer systems —systems that resist
a change in pH by reacting with either added
acids or bases. In general, buffers may be
amphiprotic substances or mixtures of Weak
acids and weak bases. In the body these
include several proteins in blood plasma and
the bicarbonate buffer system.