CHEM 251

Analytical Chemistry for

Biologists
Chapter 15
Complex Acid/Base Systems
Complex Systems
1) Two acids or two bases of different strengths
2) An acid or a base that has two or more acidic or
basic functional groups
3) An amphiprotic substance (acting as both an acid
and a base)
 Mixtures of Strong and Weak
Acids or Strong and Weak Bases
Each of the component in mixture containing a
strong acid (or base) and a weak acid (or base) can
be determined provided that the concentrations of
the two are of the same order of magnitude and that
the dissociation constant for the weak acid or base is
somewhat less than about 10-4.
• Strong acid suppresses the dissociaiton of the weak
acid in the early stages of the titration (hydronium
ion concentration is simply the molar concentration
of the strong acid)
 Mixtures of Strong and Weak
Acids or Strong and Weak Bases
Polyfunctional Acids and Bases
A species are said to exhibit polyfunctional acidic or
basic behavior if it has two or more acidic or basic
functional groups.
The phosphoric acid system;
Polyfunctional Acids and Bases
The carbondioxide/carbonic acid system;
Buffer Solutions Involving
Polyprotic Acids
• H2A and its conjugate base NaHA
• NaHA and its conjugate base Na2A

• A buffer prepared from H2A and NaHA dominates

the hydronium ion concentration.
• A buffer prepared from NaHA and Na2A
Titration Curves for Polyfunctional
Acids
Titration Curves For Amphiprotic
Species
An amphiprotic substance when dissolved in a
suitable solvent behaves both as a weak acid and as
a weak base.
Isoelectric point: the pH at which no net migration
occurs under selectric field.