EXPERIMENT 3: EFFECT OF BUFFER SOLUTION ON pH

OBJECTIVES

1. To understand the nature of a buffer.

2. To prepare a buffer from acetic acid and sodium acetate.
3. To test the ability of buffered and unbuffered solutions to resist pH changes when
strong acids and bases are added.

EQUIPMENT/APPARATUS

Beakers, distilled water, sodium chloride, solid sodium acetate, acetic acid, stirring
rod, hydrochloric acid, pipette, pH meter, magnetic stirrer, spin bar, sodium hydroxide

PROCEDURES

Required PPE : Goggles/safety glass, Lab Coat, Shoes, Gloves

NO SEQUENCE OF STEPS POTENTIAL PREVENTATIVE
HAZARDS MEASURES
i Chemicals HCl : Corrosive i . Wear proper PPE
NaCl : Irritant ii. Handle chemicals
sodium chloride (NaCl)
NaOH : Corrosive carefully to avoid spillage
solid sodium acetate (CH3COONa)
Sodium acetate : iii. Safety Briefing prior
acetic acid (CH3COOH)
Irritant start the class
hydrochloric acid (HCl)
Acetic acid : Irritant iv. Use fume hood
sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
A. The preparation of the Buffer Solution
1 Label 7 beakers of 100 ml as 1 until 7. Nil Nil
2 Add 50 ml distilled water into beaker 1 and i . Spillage i . Training on handling of
6 and 50 ml 0.1 M sodium chloride into pipette
beaker 2 and 7. ii. Handle chemicals
carefully to avoid spillage
iii. Wear proper PPE
3 Weigh 1 g solid sodium acetate i . Spillage i. Handle chemicals
(CH3COONa) and transfer into beaker 3. carefully to avoid spillage
ii. Wear proper PPE
Weigh 5 g solid sodium acetate
(CH3COONa) and transfer into beaker 4.

Weigh 10 g solid sodium acetate

(CH3COONa) and transfer into beaker 5.

1
6 Prepare 250 ml of 0.1 M acetic acid in i . Spillage i . Training on handling of
another beaker. ii. Hazardous chemical pipette
ii. Handle chemicals
carefully to avoid spillage
iii. Wear proper PPE
7 Add 50 ml 0.1 M acetic acid to beaker 3, 4 i . Spillage i . Training on handling of
and 5. Stir the solution until all the solid ii. Hazardous chemical pipette
dissolve. ii. Handle chemicals
carefully to avoid spillage
iii. Wear proper PPE
B. The Determination of Buffering Action toward Acid
8 Use pH paper to measure the pH value. Nil Nil

9 Determine the pH value of distilled water Nil Nil

in beaker 1.

Record the value. (Note: Rinse the pH

probe with distilled water before each
measurement).

10 Prepare 200 ml of 3.0 M HCl. i . Spillage i . Training on handling of

ii. Extremely pipette
Add 1 ml 3.0 M hydrochloric acid into hazardous chemical ii. Handle chemicals
beaker 1 until 5. carefully to avoid spillage
iii. Wear proper PPE
11 Mix the solution and determine the pH i . Spillage i . Training on handling of
value of the solution by using pH paper. ii. Extremely pipette
Record the pH value in a table format. hazardous chemical ii. Handle chemicals
carefully to avoid spillage
Repeat Step 11 until there is only a slight iii. Wear proper PPE
change in the pH value (at least 4 times)

C. The Determination of Buffering Action Toward Base

12 Repeat all the steps in Section A by i . Spillage i . Training on handling of
replacing 3.0 M hydrochloric acid with 3.0 ii. Hazardous chemical pipette
M sodium hydroxide into beaker 1 until 5. ii. Handle chemicals
carefully to avoid spillage
iii. Wear proper PPE
13 Record your pH reading at least 4 times in Nil Nil
a table format.

2
EXERCISE

1. From your results in this experiment, which solution of those you tested had the
greatest buffer capacity:
i. Toward strong acid?
ii. Toward strong base?
Discuss.
2. Why was distilled water used to rinse off the pH probe?
3. Define buffer solution.
4. Specify which of these systems can be classified as a a buffer system:
5. KCl/HCl b. NH3/NH4NO3 c. NaHPO4/NaH2PO4
6. Calculate the pH of the buffer system 0.15M NH3 / 0.35 M NH4C