NAME: Milton Boaheng Antwi ID#2012080127

LAB TITLE: Buffers DATE: 26/102/2013

PERIOD: CHEM131-L: 16

LAB PARTNERS

ABSTACT

The experiment conducted was based on the buffering properties of certain compounds. First and
foremost a pH meter was calibrated at the beginning of the experiment. Then different samples
of compounds were added to six test tubes. HCl and NaOH were added in each test tube to test
their buffering properties. Three test tubes were tested with universal indicator and the rest with
pH meter. Finally the buffering capacity of CO32-/HCO3 was tested with HCl

HYPOTHESIS

It is hypothesized that a buffer is a solution that contains both an acid and a salt containing the
conjugate base anion in sufficient concentrations so as to maintain a relatively constant pH when
either acid or base is added.

INTRODUUCTION

Solution called buffers are remarkable resistant to pH changes caused by the addition of an acid
or a base. These solutions always contain both the salt of a weak acid or a base, as well as the
parent acid or base.

Consider a solution containing both acetic acid, CH3COOH, and acetate ions, CH3COO-.

Any strong base that is added to the solution is neutralized by acetic acid:
CH3COOH (aq) + OH-(aq) CH3COO-(aq) + H2O (aq)

Any strong acid that is added to the solution is neutralized by acetate:

CH3COO-(aq) + H+(aq) CH3COOH (aq)
 RESULTS/OBSERVATION

TABLE 1: THE TABLE SHOWS THE pH CHANGES IN COMPOUNDS WHEN AN

ACID OR A BASE IS ADDED.

Test tube #
1 2 3 4 5 6
CO32- CO32- NaHCO3 NaHCO3 Boiled Boiled
/HCO3- /HCO3- distilled H2O distilled
H2O
Initial pH 11 11 8.5 8.50 6.0 6.0

pH after adding 10 9.42 7.0 7.28 4.0 2.28

HCl

H after adding 11 9.67 8.5 8.88 11 11.37

NaOH

# drops of HCl to reach pH 2 (tube #2) _______22 drops_____

POST_LAB QUESTIONS

1. What was the purpose for adding 2 drops of NaOH to test solution in the second
part of the experiment? Why did we not just add 1 drop of NaOH?

The main purpose of adding NaOH to the solution in the second part of the experiment was to
test how each solution in the test tube will change or increase in their pH level. We added 2
drops of NaOH in order to exceed the amount of HCl added first. If only one drop of NaOH was
added, it will neutralize with the HCl and the solution will become neutral.

2. What is the purpose of a buffer? Does a buffer always hold the pH of a solution at a
pH 7?

A buffer is used to keep an aqueous solution within certain range of pH. The pH value depends
on the concentration of ions H+ and OH-. No. Many buffer solutions are mildly acidic or basic.
Human blood, for example, is buffered a mildly basic pH of 7.4

4. Which solution showed the largest change in pH for the addition of 1 drop of HCl?
Was this system buffered?

Test tube six which was the boiled distilled water showed the largest change in pH after the
addition of HCl. The system was not buffered because there was a drastic change in the pH of
the solution.

5. Write equations for the reaction for the reaction of the CO32-/HCO3- buffer reacting
with an acid and a base.

Na2 CO3(aq) 2Na+ (aq) + CO33- (aq)

CO32- (aq) + H+ (aq) HCO3- (aq) + H+ (aq) H2CO3 (aq)

CaCO3 (s) + H2CO3 (aq) 2 HCO3 - (aq) + Ca2+

 6. Is 0.1 NaHCO3 a good buffer? Explain.

NaHCO3 is a good buffer because it completely dissociates into Na+ (which doesn't do much)
and HCO3-, an amphoteric ion that can act either as an acid (donates its H+) or as a base (accept
an H+ to form H2CO3). So amphoteric substances generally are good buffers because they can
"counteract" the effects of acids and bases that are added into their solution, whether that means
accepting excess protons or donating protons when there is a lack of it.
DISCUSSION

The experiment conducted was based on the preparation of the buffer capacity and
demonstration of the buffer characteristics. Different samples of compounds were placed in
separately in 6 test tubes, and a universal indicator was tested on the samples in test tube 1, 3 and
5. For test tube 2, 4, and 6, a pH meter was used to measure their respective pH values.

According to the results collected in Table 1, test tube 1 and 2 which contained CO32-/HCO3,
the solution had just a slight change in pH level compared to the rest of the solution. This is due
to the fact that CO32-/HCO3 has a great ability to "absorb" acid or base which result in a slight
change in pH value. It means that it can "neutralize" more moles of acid or base and keep the pH
relatively constant.

Table 1 also depicted that test tube 3 and 4 containing NaHCO3 also showed a resistance in
changes of their pH level upon addition of HCl and NaOH. This is also due to NaHCO3 is a good
buffer because it completely dissociates into Na+ (which doesn't do much) and HCO3-, an
amphoteric ion that can act either as an acid (donates its H+) or as a base.

Boiled distilled H2O, which was in test tube 5 and 6 according to table 1depicted a great change
in their pH level. This result clearly showed that the distilled water did not have any buffer
system to counteract the changes in terms of the acid and the base added to them. Therefore their
pH value significantly dropped and increased when acid and a base was added respectively.

The buffer capacity of CO32-/HCO3 in the test tube was tested with HCl. It took 22 drops of HCl
in order for the pH value of it to drop to 2. The pH dropped because more HCl used the entire
base in the solution, and the excess lowered down the pH value to 2.0.

Some errors in the lab was the fluctuation of the pH meter, therefore some of the readings were
estimated. The dropper used in the experiment was inconsistent. Some of the drops were plenty
in mass, while some were not. Basic buffer changes pH over time. The buffer should be covered
or other non-volatile chemical can be used. A way to improve the lab is to get a better pH meter
for the experiment, a better dropper, and the equipment used in the experiment should be
sterilized and dried before using the materials in the experiment. The impurities in the glassware
can impact negatively on the pH.
CONLUSION

A buffer solution can resist pH change by reacting with the OH- or H+ ion added. Dilution do
not affect pH of a buffer as the ratio of [salt]/[acid/base] does not change. The volume of diluted
buffer has lower buffering capacity as the actual amount of salt and acid/base is small.

REFERENCES

Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity by Kotz, Treichel and Townsend

(Accessed 25 February, 2013)

http://www.chem.tamu.edu/class/majors/tutorialnotefiles/gravimetric.htm
(Accessed 25 February, 2013)