In: Chemistry
Buffer capacity is defined as the number of moles of a strong acid or strong base that is required to change the pH of 1 L of the buffer solution by one unit. What is the buffer capacity of a solution that is 0.12 M in acetic acid and 0.12 M in sodium acetate? ( Ka for acetic acid is 1.8 times 10^-5.)
1 L of buffer solution contains 0.12 M HA (acetic acid) and 0.12 M NaA (sodium acetate).
Now suppose we add x moles of HCl and pH decreases by 1 unit
Hence, buffer capacity is