Class 10 Chemistry simulations · Acids, Bases and Salts

Buffer solutions (Henderson equation)

Mix acetic acid with sodium acetate and add a little strong acid or base; see how little the pH changes.

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What to notice

A buffer resists pH change because added H⁺ is taken up by A⁻ and added OH⁻ by HA.

Key relation

pH = pKₐ + log([A⁻]/[HA]) ; pKₐ(acetic acid) = 4.76

Try this

Add 0.01 mol of HCl to the buffer and to pure water. Compare the pH changes.

What you can change

• Acetic acid: 0.01 to 0.2 mol
• Sodium acetate: 0.01 to 0.2 mol
• Strong acid (+) / base (−) added: -0.05 to 0.05 mol

More in Acids, Bases and Salts

• pH of acids and bases
• Acid–base indicators
• Neutralisation: acid + base → salt + water

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