In: Chemistry
You have 200 ml of 0.1M HEPES buffer, pH 7.5. You add 2 ml of 0.4M HCl. The pKa of HEPES is 7.5.
a) what will the resulting pH be?
b) what would the pH be if no HEPES were present (that is, you mixed water and HCl)?
(a): Given the total initial concentration of the buffer solution = 0.1 M
Since pH = pKa, [salt] = [acid] = 0.1 M / 2 = 0.05 M
Hence initial moles of HEPES salt = MxV = 0.05 mol/L x 0.200 L = 0.01 mol
initial moles of HEPES acid = MxV = 0.05 mol/L x 0.200 L = 0.01 mol
Volume of 0.4 M HCl added = 2 mL = 0.002 L
Hence moles of HCl = MxV = 0.4 mol/L x 0.002 L = 0.0008 mol
------------ HEPES salt + HCl ---------- > HEPES Acid + Cl-
init.mol: 0.01 mol, ------ 0.0008 mol, --- 0.01 mol
change: - 0.0008 mol, - 0.0008 mol, + 0.0008 mol
eqm.mol: 0.0092 mol, -- 0 mol, ---------- 0.0108 mol
Now pH can be calculated from Hendersen equation
pH = pKa + log[HEPES salt] / [HEPEs acid]
=> pH = 7.5 + log(0.0092 mol / 0.0108 mol) = 7.43 (answer)
(b) If there were no buffer,
Volume of 0.4 M HCl added = 2 mL = 0.002 L
Hence moles of HCl = MxV = 0.4 mol/L x 0.002 L = 0.0008 mol
If initial volume of water is 200mL (=0.200L), total volume of solution, Vt = 0.200 L + 0.002L = 0.202 L
[HCl] = [H+] = 0.0008 mol / 0.202 L = 0.00396 M
=> pH = - log[H+] = - log(0.00396M) = 2.40 (answer)