Week 1
Net Ionic Equation for Buffer Preparation
HCO2H (aq)+OH−→HCO2−(aq)+H2O (l)
Buffer Components:
● Weak Acid: HCO₂H (formic acid)
● Conjugate Base: HCO₂⁻ (formate ion from HCO₂Na)
Initial Concentrations
Assuming 0.100 M NaOH and total buffer volume ≈ 50 mL:
Buffer [Base] (M) [Acid] (M) Base/Acid Ratio
25 mL NaOH 0.050 0.000 ∞ (no acid)
17.5 mL NaOH 0.035 0.015 2.33
12.5 mL NaOH 0.025 0.025 1.00
Predicted vs. Experimental pH
Buffer Predicted pH Experimental pH
25 mL NaOH N/A (no weak acid) 3.29
17.5 mL NaOH 4.12 3.05
12.5 mL NaOH 3.75 2.84
The predicted values are higher than the experimental ones due to:
● Approximation of total volume
● Activity effects or measurement inaccuracy
● Buffer may have not reached full equilibrium
Buffer Capacity Analysis
To determine how much strong acid is needed to change pH by 1 unit:
● Buffer 1 (25 mL NaOH):
○ pH drops from 3.29 to ~2.29 at ≈ 10 mL HCl
○ Acid added: 10 mL × 0.100 mol/L = 0.00100 mol
● Buffer 2 (17.5 mL NaOH):
○ pH drops from 3.05 to ~2.05 at ≈ 5 mL HCl
○ Acid added: 0.00050 mol
● Buffer 3 (12.5 mL NaOH):
○ pH drops from 2.84 to ~1.84 at ≈ 2.5 mL HCl
○ Acid added: 0.00025 mol
Explanation of the Relationship
As the ratio of conjugate base to acid in a buffer decreases, the amount of strong acid required
to change the pH by one unit also decreases. This is because a higher base-to-acid ratio means
there is more conjugate base available to neutralize the added acid, so the buffer can resist
changes in pH more effectively. In our experiment, Buffer 1 (with the highest base/acid ratio)
required the most acid to lower the pH by one unit, while Buffer 3 (with a 1:1 ratio) needed the
least. This shows that buffer capacity is directly related to the amount of conjugate base
present—the more base there is, the stronger the buffer’s ability to maintain its pH. As the
base/acid ratio drops, the buffer becomes less effective, so even a small amount of added acid
causes a bigger change in pH.
Week 2
Balanced Net Ionic Equation
● Weak base: HCO₂⁻ (formate ion)
● Conjugate acid: HCO₂H (formic acid)
● These two form the buffer that resists pH changes upon addition of a strong base.
Initial Concentration of Weak Base and Conjugate Acid
Buffer moles HCO₂Na moles HCl [Base] (M) [Acid] (M)
1 0.00250 0.00250 0.000 0.050
2 0.00250 0.00175 0.00075 / 0.00175 /
0.050 0.050
3 0.00250 0.00125 0.00125 / 0.00125 /
0.050 0.050
3. Predicted pH Using Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation
pKaof formic acid = 3.75
Buffer [Base] (M) [Acid] (M) Base/Acid Ratio Predicted pH Experimental pH
1 0.000 0.050 0 Undefined 4.05
2 0.015 0.035 0.4286 3.38 4.73
3 0.025 0.025 1.0 3.75 4.96
Experimental pH values are higher than predicted, possibly due to:
● Measurement variance
● Dilution effects
● Activity coefficients not accounted for in HH equation
Moles NaOH Required to Change pH by 1 Unit
Approximated from graphs:
Buffer Starting pH +1 pH Target Volume NaOH (mL) Moles NaOH
1 4.05 5.05 6 mL 0.00060
2 4.73 5.73 13 mL 0.00130
3 4.96 5.96 18 mL 0.00180
Explanation of relationship
In Week 2 of the lab, we prepared buffers using sodium formate and hydrochloric acid, then
titrated each with NaOH to test their resistance to pH change. As the base-to-acid ratio
increased, more NaOH was required to raise the pH by one unit. This is because a higher ratio
means more base is present to absorb added H⁺ ions, improving the buffer's resistance to
changes in pH. Buffer 3, with a 1:1 ratio, required the most base to shift the pH, while Buffer 1,
which contained only the acid, needed very little. This demonstrates that buffers with higher
base/acid ratios are more effective at resisting increases in pH caused by added base.
Reporting Procedure – Comparing Weeks 1 and 2
In Week 1 and Week 2 of this experiment, we made buffer solutions in two different ways but
with the same chemical system. In Week 1, we added NaOH (a strong base) to formic acid to
make a buffer, and in Week 2, we added HCl (a strong acid) to sodium formate. Both methods
created the same buffer using formic acid and its conjugate base, but we approached it from
opposite directions—starting with the acid in Week 1 and the base in Week 2. The buffers were
similar because they were made from the same components and were able to resist pH
changes, but they were different in how they were prepared and which direction we were
pushing the pH (acid vs. base). The titrations were similar too—we added strong acid or base in
small amounts and recorded the pH—but the key difference was that in Week 1 we were
lowering the pH with HCl, and in Week 2 we were raising it with NaOH.
One important thing I learned is that the ratio of base to acid in the buffer really matters. Buffers
with more conjugate base could resist more acid (Week 1), and buffers with more conjugate
acid could resist more base (Week 2). The second thing I learned is that buffers work best when
the amount of acid and base are close to equal—that’s when the pH changes the slowest even
when you add strong acid or base.
If my instructor asked me to make a buffer, the first thing I’d need to know is what pH they want.
I’d pick a weak acid with a pKa close to that pH and then figure out how much acid and base I
need to mix using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. I’d also need to know how strong the
buffer should be—like how much it needs to resist pH change—so I can use the right
concentrations. Basically, I’d want to choose the right acid-base pair, the right ratio, and the right
total concentration to make sure the buffer actually works.
