1. Buffer Capacity Lab

2. Buffer Solutions
A buffer solution is a solution that changes pH only slightly when small amounts of a strong acid or a strong base are added.
A buffer contains significant concentrations of both
a weak acid and its conjugate base, or
a weak base and its conjugate acid.

3. Importance of Buffers Our blood is buffered to a pH of 7.4
Buffers are used when pH must be controlled in experiments.
Proteins
Enzymes

4. Sodium Acetate Buffer
This buffer relies on the dissociation reaction of acetic acid.
CH3COOH CH3COO- + H+

5. Pure water increases in pH by about 5 pH units when the OH– is added, and decreases by about 5 pH units when the H3O+ is added.
In contrast, the same amounts of OH– and H3O+ added to a buffer solution barely change the pH.

6. Buffer Capacity and Buffer Range
There is a limit to the ability of a buffer solution to neutralize added acid or base.
This buffer capacity is reached before either buffer component has been consumed.
As a rule, a buffer is most effective if the concentrations of the buffer acid and its conjugate base are equal or nearly so.