LAB #1

Date: January 26th, 2023

TITLE: Preparing Buffers and Testing Buffer Capacity

AIM: To prepare a buffer solution and then determine the buffer capacity.

MATERIAL:
1. Acetic acid (0.10, 0.30, 0.50M) 7. 0.100 M NaOH
2. Sodium acetate 8. Burets
3. Buret clamp 9. pH meter
4. Standard buffer solution (pH 4 & 7) 10. Magnetic stirrer (if available)
5. 100 mL volumetric flasks 11. 250 mL beaker
6. Stir bar

PROCEDURES:
1. Before the preparation of the buffer solution , the amount of acetic and sodium acetate
was first determined. Ka was given as 1.8 x 10^-5. Calculations for the preparation of
100mL of acetic acid-sodium acetate pH 5.0 buffer using 0.3 acid was done.
2. The calculations was checked by the instructor.
3. The calibration of the pH meter’s was done using the instructions.
4. The pH meter was then used to measure the pH of the buffer solution that was prepared
and then the data was recorded in a data table.
5. Two burets were cleaned. One of the burets was filled with the buffer solution already
prepared. The other was filled with 0.100 M NaOH. Each was filled to the 50 mL line.
6. 10.00 mL of the buffer solution was transferred to a 250 mL beaker and some distilled
water was added.
7. The NaOH was then added slowly to the buffer solution in small increments while the
magnetic stirrer was used to mix it. The total amount of NaOH after each addition and its
pH change were recorded in a data table.
8. NaOH was added until there was a pH change of one pH unit.
9. Steps 5 to 8 were repeated two more times.

19-A-1
RESULTS:
TABLE SHOWING DATA OF THE PREPARED BUFFFER SOLUTION

Buffer prepared Concentration pH of buffer

solution

- + 0.3 M 4.8
CH3COOH+ NaOH ⇆ CH3COO + Na + H2O
(Weak acid and Salt Buffer Solution)

TABLE SHOWING DATA COLLECTED FROM THE TITRATION OF

THE THREE TRIALS

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

Vol of Buffer, mL 10.0 mL 10.0 mL 10.0 mL

Volume of buffer, L 0.01 L 0.01 L 0.01 L

Change in pH 1 1 1

Vol 0.100 M NaOH 24.8 24.7 24.8

Moles of NaOH 2.48 x 10^-3 2.47 x 10^-3 2.48 x 10^-3

Buffer Capacity 0.248 0.247 0.248

CALCULATION:
Calculation showing the preparation of 100 mLof acetic acid needed for a soduim acetae
pH 5.0 buffer using 0.30 M acetic acid.
-
5.0 = 4.74 + log ( A ) Pka=-log(1.8 x 10^-5)
-4.74 -4.74 ( 0.30) Pka=4.74
-
0.26=log ( A )
( 0.30)

0.26 -
10^ = log ( A )
( 0.30)
A-=1.82 x 0.30 M
A-= 0.546 M

19-A-2
 con x vol
0.546 M x 0.1 L = 0.0546 mol

Mol
0.0546 mol x 136.08 g/mol = 7.43 g

Calculations for Trial #1

Moles of NaOH
Volume x Concentration = Moles
24.8 ml x 0.100 M
0.0248L x 0.100M= 2.48 x 10^ -3mol

Buffer Capacity

Buffer capacity= (number of moles of OH- or H3O- added)

(pH change) (Volume of Buffer in L)

0.248 = 2.48 x 10^-3 mol

(1) x (0.01L)

Buffer capacity= 0.248

Average Buffer Capacity

0.248 + 0.247+ 0.248= 0.743/3

Average = 0.247.666

DISCUSSION:
Buffers are solutions that resist pH change upon addition of either a acidic or basic
components. Only small amounts of acid or base can be neutralized therfore mentaining a
pH of the stable solution. Processes or reactions that need a stable pH requires buffer
solutions. While, buffer capacity is the amount of an acid or base that is needed to change
the pH of solution by 1 pH unit. Buffering capacity is dependent on the concentration of
-
HA(weak acid) and A (Conjugative base) in the solution. As such, when the greater the
-
concentration of [HA] to [A ] the higher the overall buffering capacity. Therefore, when
[HA] is greater than [A-] the capacity is higher for base however, when [A-] is greater
than [HA] the capacity is higher for added acid. In the experiment done the conjugate
base was larger than the weak acid therefore the capacity is higher for the added acid.

19-A-3
However, if HCl was to be added rather than the NaOH then there would be a change in
conjugate base since the strong acid would donate its proton as a result the conjugate base
would decrease resulting in a higher capacity for the base.
Below is the balanced equation for the prepared buffer solution(1) and the one below it is
the equation to show how the buffer made (2) works when acid(HCl) is added.

- +
1. CH3COOH+ NaOH ⇆ CH3COO Na + H2O

2. CH3COONa+ HCl ⇆ NaCl + CH3COOH

SOURCE OF ERROR:
A source of error could be if the pH probe calibration is off.
Another source of error could be calculation errors perhaps in rounding of numbers.

LIMITATION:
A limitation to this experiment would be the very narrow nozzle of the 100 mL
volumetric flask not allowing the accurately measured sodium acetate to fully be placed
into the flask but rather some falling on the ground resulting in some deviation from the
originally measured sodium acetate.

CONCLUSION:Acetic acid and sodium acetate buffer solution was prepared and a
average of 0.248 buffer capacity was calculated from the three trials done.

Reference:
-Libretexts. (2020, August 15). Introduction to buffers. Chemistry LibreTexts. Retrieved
January 29, 2023, from
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_
Maps/Supplemental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/Acids_and_Bases/
Buffers/Introduction_to_Buffers#:~:text=A%20buffer%20is%20a%20solution,specific%
20and%20stable%20pH%20ranges.

-Khan Academy. (n.d.). Properties of buffers (video) | buffers. Khan Academy. Retrieved
January 29, 2023, from
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-chemistry-beta/x2eef969c74e0d802:acids-and-
bases/x2eef969c74e0d802:buffers/v/properties-of-buffers

19-A-4
Biochemistry Lab #1

Preparing Buffers/Buffer Capacity

Analysis/Interpretation

Calculations:

Correct Volume from Data [1]

Moles of NaOH [1]

Sub. Into formula [1]

Buffer Capacity [1]

Questions:

Deduce relationship between concentration(s) and buffering capacity [1]

Deduce accurately what would happen if HCl is used instead [1]

Use an equation to show how the buffer made works when base is added [2]

Use an equation to show how the buffer made works when acid is added
[2]

Correct Source of error [1]

Correct Limitation [1]

Total: [12]

19-A-5