Preparation of Buffer Solutions

The resistance of a solution to changes in hydrogen ion concentration upon the addition of small
amounts of acid or alkali is termed buffer action. A solution which possesses such properties is known as
a buffer solution. It is said to possess Reserve acidity and Reserve alkalinity. Buffer solutions usually
consist of solutions containing a mixture of weak acid HA and its sodium or potassium salt or of a weak
base B and its salt (BH-). A buffer, then, is usually a mixture of an acid and its salt.
Phosphate buffers employs a mixture of NaH2PO4 and Na2HPO4 The salt is completely
dissociated.
Na2HPO4 Na+ + H2PO4-
The ion H2PO4- acts as a monoprotic acid
H2PO4- H+ + HPO4-
For which K1 is 6.2 10-8 mol L-1 (pK2 = 7.21). The addition of the salt Na2HPO4 is analogous to the
addition of, say acetate ions to a solution of acetic acid, since the tertiary ionization of phosphoric acid, is
small (K3 = 5 10-13 mol L-1, pK3 = 12.3).
The mixture of NaH2PO4 and NaHPO4 is therefore an effective buffer over the range of pH 7.2 1.0 It
will be noted that this is a mixture of a Brnsted-Lowry acid and its conjugate base.
Calculation.
H2PO4- H+ + HPO42- pK2 = 7.21

[HPO4 2 ]
pH = pK2 + log
[H2 PO4 ]

[HPO4 2 ]
7.40 = 7.21 + log
[H2 PO4 ]

[HPO4 2 ]
0.19 = log
[H2 PO4 ]

[HPO4 2 ]
1.55 =
[H2 PO4 ]

For a volume of Z cm3 of a pH 7.4 buffer that is prepared by mixing X cm3 of M1 a mol L-1 HPO42- and Y
cm3 of M2 mol L-1 H2PO4-

M1 X cm3 = 1.55 (1)

M2 Y cm3

X + Y = Z (2)
Procedure 1
1) You are provided with 0.01 mol and 0.01 solutions. Prepare 100.0 cm of pH 7.4 buffer solution
by mixing the two solutions.
2) Test the pH of the buffer solution using pH papers and pH meter.

Procedure 2
1) Add drops of methyl orange indicator to 10 ml of distilled water. Add dilute HCl in a drop wise
manner until you observe a change in indicator color. Record the number of HCl drops required
for a the color change.
2) Repeat the above step, using 10 ml of phosphate buffer solution instead of distilled water.
3) Repeat the above 2 steps, using phenolphthalein as the indicator using dilute NaOH.
4) Explain the resistance to change in pH in the two solutions with the help of your observations.