BUFFERS

WHAT IS BUFFER?

A buffer is a solution that can resist

pH change upon the addition of an
acidic or basic component.
WHAT IS A BUFFER COMPOSED OF?

A buffer must consist of a weak conjugate

acid-base pair, meaning, either
a. a weak acid and its conjugate base
b. a weak base and its conjugate acid
EXAMPLE

Aceticacid (weak organic acid w/ formula

CH3COOH) and a salt containing its
conjugate base, the acetate anion
(CH3COO), such as sodium acetate
(CH3COONa)
EXAMPLE

Pyridine (weak base w/ formula C5H5N)

and a salt containing its conjugate acid, the
pyridinium cation (CH5N5H+), such as
Pyridinium Chloride.
HOW DOES A BUFFER WORK?

 A buffer is able to resist pH change because the

two components (conjugate acid and conjugate
base) are both present in appreciable amounts at
equilibrium and are able to neutralize small
amounts of other acids and bases (in the form of
H3O+ and OH-) when the are added to the
solution.
How can a buffer maintain the pH of a substance even if
small amounts of acids or bases are added into the
substance?
 Ifan acid is added to the substance, the conjugate base of the
buffer neutralizes the acid added.
 Ifa base is added to the substance, the conjugate acid of the
buffer neutralizes the base added.
 For a buffer solution made up of HCH3COO and NaCH3COO,
the conjugate acid is HCH3COO and the conjugate base is
CH3COO, If HCI is added into the solution containing the
acetic acid-acetate buffer, the HCI reacts with the conjugate
base of the buffer, CH3COO: HCI is strong acid and is
completely ionized.
BUFFER SOLUTIONS:
HENDERSON
HASSELBALCH
EQUATION
HENDERSON HASSELBALCH EQUATION

Henderson Hasselbalch equation is

the equation commonly used in
chemistry and biology to
determine the pH of a solution.
This equation shows a relationship between
the pH or pOH of the solution, the pKa or
pKb, and the concentration of the chemical
species involved.
This equation was developed independently
by the American biological chemist L. J.
Henderson and the Swedish physiologist K.
A. Hasselbalch to determine the pH of the
bicarbonate buffer system in blood.
 
This type of kinetic analysis has enabled us
for nearly a century to relate theoretically the
changes of the acidic intensity of dilute
solutions to a quantity of acid or base added
or subtracted.
This equation can be considered as the
backbone of acid-base physiology.
This equation is commonly used to determine
the amount of acid and conjugate base
required to prepare a buffer of the desired pH.
The Henderson-Hasselbalch equation mathematically
connects the measurable pH of a solution with the pKa
(which is equal to -log K₁) of the acid.
The equation is also useful for estimating the pH of a
buffer solution and finding the equilibrium pH in an
acid-base reaction. The equation can be derived from the
formula of pKa for a weak acid or buffer. The balanced
equation for an acid dissociation is
HA H+ + A -
The acid dissociation constant is: 
Ka= [H+][A-]
[HA]
After taking the log of the entire equation and rearranging
it, the result is:
log(Ka)=log[H+] + log()
This equation can be rewritten as:
-pKa= -pH + log ()
Distributing the negative sign gives the
final version of the Hender Hasselbalch
equation:
pH=pKa + log ()
In an alternate application, the equation can be used
to determine amount of acid and conjugate base
needed to make a buffer of a certain With a given pH
and known pKa, the solution of the Henderson-
Hasselbalch equation gives the logarithm of a ratio
which can be solved by performing antilogarithm of
pH/pKa
  10pH-pka=()
EXAMPLE

 What is the pH of a buffer solution consisting of

0.0350 M NH3 and 0.0500 M NH4+ (Ka for NH4+
is 5.6 x 10-10 )? The equation for the reaction is :
NH4+ H+ NH3
Assuming that the change in concentrations is
negligible in order for the system to reach equilibrium,
the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation will be:
 pH=pKa + log ()
pH = 9.25 + log()
pH = 9.095
Calculating Changes in a Buffer Solution
The changed pH of a buffer solution in response to the addition
of acid or a base can be calculated.
If the concentrations of a solution of a weak acid and its
conjugate base are reasonably high, then the solution is
resistant to changes in hydrogen ion concentration. These
solutions are known as buffers. It is possible to calculate how
the pH of the solution will change in response to the addition
of an acid a base to a buffer solution.
 
EXAMPLE

A solution is 0.050 M in acetic acid

(HC2H3O2) and 0.050 M NaC2H3O2. Calculate
the change in pH when 0.001 mole of
hydrochloric acid (HCI) is added to a liter of
solution, assuming that the volume increase
upon adding the HCI is negligible. Compare
this to the pH if the same amount of HCI is
added to a liter of pure water.
 Step 1:
HC2H3O2 (aq) H+ (aq) + C2H3O2-(aq)
Recall that sodium acetate, NaC2H3O2, dissociates into its
component ions, Na+ and C2H3O2- (the acetate ion) upon
dissolution in water. Therefore, the solution will contain both
acetic acid and acetate ions. Before adding HCI, the acetic
acid equilibrium constant is:
Ka=()=
(assuming that x is small compared to
0.050 M concentrations) Therefore:
x= [H+]=Ka=
1.76x10-5MpH =pKa=4.75