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GENERAL CHEMISTRY 2
(STEM)
QUARTER 4 – MODULE 3 & 4

Acid-Base Equilibria and Buffer Solutions

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 In the previous lessons we learned about the spontaneous change, entropy, and free
energy. Also, we learned about the chemical equilibrium and Le Chantelier’s Principle. In this
lesson, we will learn all about acids and bases.
A Brønsted-Lowry acid is any species capable of donating a proton; a Brønsted-Lowry
base is any species capable of accepting a proton.
Originally, acids and bases were defined by Svante Arrhenius. His original definition
stated that acids were compounds that increased the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) in
solution, whereas bases were compounds that increased the concentration of hydroxide ions
(OH–) in solutions. Problems arise with this conceptualization because Arrhenius’s definition is
limited to aqueous solutions, referring to the solvation of aqueous ions, and is therefore not
inclusive of acids dissolved in organic solvents. To solve this problem, Johannes Nicolaus
Brønsted and Thomas Martin Lowry, in 1923, both independently proposed an alternative
definition of acids and bases.
In this newer system, Brønsted-Lowry acids were defined as any molecule or ion that can
donate a hydrogen cation (proton, H+), whereas a Brønsted-Lowry base is a species with the
ability to gain, or accept, a hydrogen cation. A wide range of compounds can be classified in the
Brønsted-Lowry framework: mineral acids and derivatives such as sulfonates, carboxylic acids,
amines, carbon acids, and many more.

Brønsted-Lowry Acids/Bases Reaction

Acids and bases will neutralize one another to form liquid water and a salt. The
general properties of acids and bases are:
✓ Acid – Tastes sour, acts corrosive, changes the color of litmus from blue to red, pH <7
e.g vinegar, lemon juice, gastric juice, soft drinks
✓ Base – Tastes bitter, feels slippery, changes the color of litmus from red to blue. pH > 7 e.g
milk of magnesia, bleach, ammonia, detergents

We should keep in mind that acids and bases must always react in pairs. This
is because if a compound is to behave as an acid, donating its proton, then there must
necessarily be a base present to accept that proton. The general scheme for a
Brønsted- Lowry acid/base reaction can be visualized in the form:
𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑑 + 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 ⇄ 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑗𝑢𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 + 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑗𝑢𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑑
Here, a conjugate base is the species that is left over after the Brønsted acid
donates its proton. The conjugate acid is the species that is formed when the Brønsted
base accepts a proton from the Brønsted acid. Therefore, according to the Brønsted-
Lowry definition, an acid-base reaction is one in which a conjugate base and a
conjugate acid are formed (note how this is different from the Arrhenius definition of
an acid-base reaction, which is limited to the reaction of H+ with OH– to produce water).
Lastly, note that the reaction can proceed in either the forward or the backward
direction; in each case, the acid donates a proton to the base.
Consider the reaction between acetic acid and water:
𝐻3 𝐶𝐶𝑂𝑂𝐻(𝑎𝑞) + 𝐻2 𝑂(𝑙) ⇄ 𝐻3 𝐶𝐶𝑂𝑂 − + 𝐻3 𝑂 +
(𝑎𝑞) (𝑎𝑞)

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 Here, acetic acid acts as a Brønsted-Lowry acid, donating a proton to water,
which acts as the Brønsted-Lowry base. The products include the acetate ion, which is
the conjugate base formed in the reaction, as well as hydronium ion, which is the
conjugate acid formed.
Note that water is amphoteric; depending on the circumstances, it can act as
either an acid or a base, either donating or accepting a proton. For instance, in the
presence of ammonia, water will donate a proton and act as a Brønsted-Lowry acid:

Here, ammonia is the Brønsted-Lowry base. The conjugate acid formed in the
reaction is the ammonium ion, and the conjugate base formed is hydroxide.

The Acid-Base Properties of Water

Water is capable of acting as either an acid or a base and can undergo self-
ionization. It acts as an acid in reactions with bases, whereas it acts as a base for
reactions involving acids.
Under standard conditions, water will self-ionize to a very small extent. The self-
ionization of water refers to the reaction in which a water molecule donates one of its
protons to a neighboring water molecule, either in pure water or in aqueous solution.
The result is the formation of a hydroxide ion (OH–) and a hydronium ion (H3O+). The
reaction can be written as follows:
𝐻2𝑂 + 𝐻2𝑂 ⇌ 𝐻3𝑂+ + 𝑂𝐻−

This is an example of autoprotolysis (meaning “self-protonating”) and it

exemplifies the amphoteric nature of water (ability to act as both an acid and a base).

The self-ionization of water produces hydronium and hydroxide ions in solution.

The Water Ionization Constant, Kw

Note that the self-ionization of water is an equilibrium reaction:

𝐻2𝑂 + 𝐻2𝑂 ⇌ 𝐻3𝑂+ + 𝑂𝐻−𝐾𝑤 = 1.0 𝑥 10−14
Like all equilibrium reactions, this reaction has an equilibrium constant.
Because this is a special equilibrium constant, specific to the self-ionization of water, it
is denoted KW; it has a value of 1.0 x 10−14. If we write out the actual equilibrium
expression for KW, we get the following:
𝐾𝑤 = [𝐻+][𝑂𝐻−] = 1.0 𝑥 10−14

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However, because H+ and OH– are formed in a 1:1 molar ratio, we have:

[𝐻+] = [𝑂𝐻−] = √1.0 𝑥 10−14 = 1.0 𝑥 10−7𝑀

Now, note the definition of pH and pOH:
𝑝𝐻 = −𝑙𝑜𝑔[𝐻+] 𝑝𝑂𝐻 = −𝑙𝑜𝑔[𝑂𝐻−]
[𝐻3𝑂+] = 10−𝑝𝐻 [𝑂𝐻−] = 10−𝑝𝑂𝐻
The term pH refers to the "potential of hydrogen ion." It was proposed by Danish
biochemist Soren Sorensen in 1909 so that there could be a more convenient way to
describe hydronium and hydroxide ion concentrations in aqueous solutions since both
concentrations tend to be extremely small.
If we plug in the above value into our equation for pH, we find that:
𝑝𝐻 = − log(1.0 𝑥 107) = 7.0

𝑝𝑂𝐻 = − log(1.0 𝑥 107) = 7.0

Here we have the reason why neutral water has a pH of 7.0; it represents the
condition at which the concentrations of H+ and OH– are exactly equal in solution.
Since how the equilibrium constant can be expressed was already established,
if we take the negative logarithm of both sides of this equation, we get the following:
−log (𝐾𝑤) = −log ([𝐻+][𝑂𝐻−])
−log (𝐾𝑤) = − log[𝐻+] + −𝑙𝑜𝑔[𝑂𝐻−]
𝑝𝐾𝑤 = 𝑝𝐻 + 𝑝𝑂𝐻
However, because we know that pKW= 14, we can establish the following relationship:
𝑝𝐻 + 𝑝𝑂𝐻 = 14

This relationship always holds true for any aqueous solution, regardless of its
level of acidity or alkalinity. Utilizing this equation is a convenient way to quickly
determine pOH from pH and vice versa, as well as to determine hydroxide
concentration given hydrogen concentration, or vice versa.

In the previous lesson, we discover all about Brønsted-Lowry Acids/Bases

Reaction.
In this lesson, buffer solutions will be discussed.
A buffer is a solution of weak acid and conjugate base or weak base and
conjugate acid used to resist pH change with added solute. A buffer’s pH changes
very little when a small amount of strong acid or base is added to it. It is used to prevent
any change in the pH of a solution, regardless of solute. Buffer solutions are used as
a means of keeping pH at a nearly constant value in a wide variety of chemical
applications. Blood in the human body is a buffer solution.
Buffer solutions are resistant to pH change because of the presence of an
equilibrium between the acid (HA) and its conjugate base (A–). The balanced equation
for this reaction is:
𝐻𝐴 ⇌ 𝐻+ + 𝐴−
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 When some strong acid (more H+) is added to an equilibrium mixture of the weak
acid and its conjugate base, the equilibrium is shifted to the left, in accordance with Le
Chatelier’s principle. This causes the hydrogen ion (H+) concentration to increase by
less than the amount expected for the quantity of strong acid added. Similarly, if a
strong base is added to the mixture, the hydrogen ion concentration decreases by less
than the amount expected for the quantity of base added. This is because the reaction
shifts to the right to accommodate for the loss of H+ in the reaction with the base. To
visualize this, below shows an example diagram.

Buffer solutions are necessary in a wide range of applications. In biology, they

are necessary for keeping the correct pH for proteins to work; if the pH moves outside
of a narrow range, the proteins stop working and can fall apart. A buffer of carbonic
acid (H2CO3) and3 bicarbonate (HCO −) is needed in blood plasma to maintain a pH
between 7.35 and 7.45. Industrially, buffer solutions are used in fermentation
processes and in setting the correct conditions for dyes used in coloring fabrics.

Preparing a Buffer Solution

There are a couple of ways to prepare a buffer solution of a specific pH. In the
first method, prepare a solution with an acid and its conjugate base by dissolving the
acid form of the buffer in about 60% of the volume of water required to obtain the final
solution volume. Then, measure the pH of the solution using a pH probe. The pH can
be adjusted up to the desired value using a strong base like NaOH. If the buffer is
made with a base and its conjugate acid, the pH can be adjusted using a strong acid
like HCl. Once the pH is correct, dilute the solution to the final desired volume.
Alternatively, you can prepare solutions of both the acid form and base form of the
solution. Both solutions must contain the same buffer concentration as the
concentration of the buffer in the final solution. To get the final buffer, add one
solution to the other while monitoring the pH.
In a third method, you can determine the exact amount of acid and conjugate
base needed to make a buffer of a certain pH, using the Henderson-Hasselbach
equation:
[𝐴−]
𝑝𝐻 = 𝑝𝐾𝑎 + log ( )
[𝐻𝐴]

Where, pH is the concentration of [H+], pKa is the acid dissociation constant,

and [A-] and [HA] are concentrations of the conjugate base and starting acid,
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respectively.
The strength of a weak acid is usually represented as an equilibrium constant.
The acid-dissociation equilibrium constant (Ka), which measures the propensity of an
acid to dissociate, for the reaction is:
𝐾𝑎 = [𝐻+][𝐴−
]
[𝐻𝐴]

The greater [H+] x [A–] is than [HA], the greater the value of Ka, the more the
formation of H+ is favored, and the lower the pH of the solution.

The Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation

The Henderson–Hasselbalch equation mathematically connects the
measurable pH of a solution with the pKa (which is equal to -log Ka) of the acid. The
equation is also useful for estimating the pH of a buffer solution and finding the
equilibrium pH in an acid-base reaction.
In an alternate application, the equation can be used to determine the amount
of acid and conjugate base needed to make a buffer of a certain pH. With a given pH
and known pKa, the solution of the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation gives the
logarithm of a ratio which can be solved by performing the antilogarithm of pH/pKa:
[𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒]
10𝑝𝐻−𝑝𝐾𝑎 =
[𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑑]
An example of how to use the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation to solve for
the pH of a buffer solution is as follows:
1. What is the pH of a buffer solution consisting of 0.0350 M NH3 and 0.0500 M NH + 4
(Ka for NH4 + is 5.6 x 10-10)? The equation for the reaction is:
𝑁𝐻4+ ⇌ 𝐻+ + 𝑁𝐻3

Assuming that the change in concentrations is negligible, in order for the

system to reach equilibrium, the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation will be:
[𝑁𝐻3]
𝑝𝐻 = 𝑝𝐾𝑎 + log ( + )
[𝑁𝐻4 ]

0.0350
𝑝𝐻 = 9.25 + log ( )
0.0500

𝑝𝐻 = 9.095

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Grade GENERAL CHEMISTRY 2

12 Quarter 4 - Module 3 & 4

Module Title: Acid-Base Equilibria and Buffer Solutions
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Name: _______________________________________________________
Grade & Section: ________________________Strand: ________________

I. Multiple Choice. Encircle the letter of the best answer from among the given
choices.

1. Who is this person who originally defined the acids and bases and stated that acids
were compounds that increased the concentration of hydrogen ions (H +) in solution,
whereas bases were compounds that increased the concentration of hydroxide ions
(OH–) in solutions?
A. Johannes Nicolaus Brønsted B. Svante Arrhenius
C. Thomas Martin Lowry D. Archimedes
2. Aside from water's capability of acting as either an acid or a base, it can also undergo
.
A. Self-immunization B. Self-protonization
C. Self-conjugation D. Self-ionization
3. Acids and bases will neutralize one another to form:
A. Ice and a Salt B. Liquid Water and Sugar
C. Liquid Water and Salt D. Ice and a Sugar
4. The equilibrium constant of water has a value of:
A. 1.0 x 10−7 B. 1.0 x 10−28
−21
C. 1.0 x 10 D. 1.0 x 10−14
5. The term pH refers to the:
A. Potential of hydrogen ion B. Power of hydrogen ion
C. All of the above D. None of the above
6. How is a buffer used?
A. It is used to prevent any change in the pH of a solution, regardless of solute
B. It is used as a means of keeping pH at a nearly constant value in a wide
variety of chemical applications.
C. All of the above
D. None of the above
7. In preparing a solution with an acid and its conjugate base, it is done by dissolving the
acid form of the buffer in about how many percent volume of water to obtain the final
solution volume required?
A. 24% B. 50% C. 70% D. 60%

8. The greater the value of Ka, the the pH of the solution.

A. Higher B. Lower C. Same D. None of the above

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 9. pKa is equal to:
A. 10Ka B. -log (Ka) C. log (Ka) D. 10-Ka

10. If a strong base is added to the mixture, the hydrogen ion concentration decreases by
less than the amount expected for the quantity of base added. This is because:
A. The reaction shifts to the right to accommodate for the loss of H+ in the
reaction with the base
B. The reaction shifts to the left to accommodate for the loss of H+ in the
reaction with the base
C. The reaction shifts upward to accommodate for the loss of H+ in the
reaction with the base
D. The reaction shifts downward to accommodate for the loss of H+ in the
reaction with the base

II. True or False! Write T if the statement is correct. If the statement is wrong, underline the
word/s that make it wrong, then write the correct answer.

1. If the buffer is made with a base and its conjugate acid, the pH can be
adjusted using a weak acid like HCl.
2. A buffer’s pH changes greatly when a small amount of strong acid or base
is added to it.
3. A good buffer mixture should have about equal concentrations of both of its
components.
4. The strength of a weak acid (buffer) is usually represented as an equilibrium
constant.
5.The Henderson–Hasselbalch equation connects the measurable value of
the pH of a solution with the theoretical value pKa.

III. Identify me! Complete the table by identifying whether the sample solution mentioned is
either acidic or basic and rank it all from the most acidic to most basic (1-5), with 5 as the
most basic.

Sample Solution Acidic/Basic Rank

1. 1 M HCl
2. Ocean Water
3. 1 M NaOH
4. Rainwater
5. Baking Soda

IV. Explain Me!

1. Explain the chemistry behind the buffer system in blood.

2. Explain the chemistry behind the difference of pH between normal rainwater and
acid rain.

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