Buffers and Buffer Capacity - Essay Example

Afar its buffering range, a buffer does not act to stabilize the pH of the solution (Phadungchewit, 13). Buffers are very essential to living organism. This is since most biochemical progressions occur only when the pH is within a narrow range. Excessive consumption or intake of H+ or OH- can constrain the system and action of several biomolecules, particularly proteins. Thus, buffers are generally used in living organisms to assist in the maintenance of a relatively stable pH. For instance in humans, buffers help to maintain the blood pH within a range of between 7.35 and 7.45.

Buffer capacity is denoted  and as it increases, the ability to resist change in pH also increases (Yuwaree, 15). This is represented by the equation:  Is the buffer capacity (numerical indicator showing how the buffered solution resists the change in pH. If solution is well buffered  gets bigger, if poorly buffered it gets small. The (i) and (i+1) are the two successive data points in a pH titration. And finally V is the base volume. First, 100 mls of NaOH solution is prepared from o.

1M of the available NaOH titrant. Secondly, HCl solution is prepared by the dilution of a 90.0 mM HCl solution present from the TA. Finally, the concentration of 3.0mM of citric acid solution is prepared by weighing out within a range of  1% and dissolving in it an appropriate quantity of citric acid (Pohland, Frederick, 23). Calibrate a pH meter by use of pH7 along with 4 buffers. Put the solution of HCl and measure the value of pH during the stirring process. By use of a burette, add contents of 0.

5ml increments of the NaOH titrant then make recordings of the pH and the volume of the base added. For the stable recording, we waited for few seconds for the pH meter in order to acquire most accurate results. We began by adding two drops of NaOH into Each of the acid beaker after observing abnormal increase in pH value. We stopped when the pH meter read (9.19). We repeated