pH Maintenance
How the pH of any solution is kept constant can easily be explained with the help of the example given below,
Take formic acid and sodium formate ions in an aqueous solution they behave as buffer solution and their equilibrium reaction is,
- HCOOH ⇌ H+ + HCOO–
- HCOONa ⇌ Na+ + HCOO–
If the strong acids are added to the above buffer solution, the hydrogen ion (H+ ions) combine with the HCOO– ions to give a weakly ionized formic acid, and thus, the pH of the solution is kept constant or slightly changed.
If the strong base is added to the above buffer solution, the hydroxide ion (OH– ions) combine with the H+ ions available in the solution to give water molecules, and thus, the pH of the solution is kept constant. The reaction occurring in the process is given below.
HCOOH + OH– ⇌ HCOO– + H2O
Thus, the pH of the buffer solution is kept constant.
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Buffer Solution
Buffer Solution is a special aqueous solution that resists the change in its pH when some quantity of acid and Base is added. Many fluids, such as blood, have specific pH values of 7.14, and variations in these values indicate that the body is malfunctioning. The change in pH of Buffer Solutions on adding a small quantity of acid or bases is very minimal and hence they are used to make solutions that resist the change in pH.
Let us learn about Buffer solution, its types, and others in this article.
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