Matsumoto 1

Lisa Matsumoto
Phillip Cox
January 21, 2014
Experiment One: Buffers
Introduction
Throughout this experiment, many important concepts are utilized to fully understand the
processes and reactions occurring. One concept is what a buffer is and how it works. A buffer is
typically made using a weak acid and its conjugate base or with a weak base and its conjugate
pairing. Buffers are important because they create a resistance against changes in pH, a vital
characteristic such as that in the human blood. Buffer capacity measures how well a buffer
works, with a larger capacity providing more resistance to change in pH. Buffer capacity is
represented by the Greek letter, , and by the equations = d[B]/dpH = -d[A]/dpH or = ln(10)
C Ka[H+]/(Ka+[H+])2 with B and A representing the amount of base or acid added in an
experiment and the latter equation used typically for monoprotic acids. In this lab, using these
concepts, the purpose is to determine the buffer capacities of five different solutions, aspirin, and
bufferin.

Procedure
Two .1 L solutions of .1 M K 2HPO4 and .1 M KH2PO4 were prepared; these solutions
were used to prepare the five solutions that were tested to determine their buffer capacities. The
first solution was prepared by taking 40 mL of K 2HPO4, 0 mL of KH2PO4, and 60 mL H2O, and
placed into a beaker labeled as Solution #1. After calibrating the LabPro, the pH of Solution #1
was measured and recorded. It was important to clean the probe with deionized water and Kim
wipes after each use. 20 mL of Solution #1 was then moved into another beaker, .25 mL of .5 M

Matsumoto 2
HCl was added, the new pH was added and measured, and then the contents were discarded into
a waste bottle. The HCl was diluted by placing .25 mL of HCl into a graduated cylinder and
adding 2.25 mL of deionized water to the graduated cylinder. Another 20 mL of Solution #1 was
taken, placed into a beaker, and mixed with .25 mL of the diluted HCl, then the new pH was
measured and recorded. All contents were discarded into the waste bottle. The steps used for HCl
were repeated with NaOH. All previous steps were then repeated for Solutions #2 - #5, but 10
mL less of K2HPO4 and 10 mL more of KH2PO4 were used with each solution. Also, for Solution
#5, the HCl and NaOH were diluted by adding 4.75 mL of water instead of 2.25 mL.
For part two of the experiment, about .2 g of aspirin and bufferin were weighed
separately, their masses were recorded, and moved to two separate 150 mL beakers. Their active
ingredients were recorded, 25 mL H2O were added to both beakers while stirring, their
solubilities were noted, and their pHs were recorded. .25 mL of HCl were added to each beaker,
their pHs were recorded, and all previous steps of part two were repeated except with NaOH
instead of HCl.

Results
pH After H+
Solutio

1
2
3
4
5
DI
Water

Buffer Capacity

Initial
Addition

Buffers Table 1
pH After OH- Buffer Capacity
Addition

([H+] added/

(OH-

pH
9.00
7.40
6.90
6.27
4.63
7.09

(Diluted)
8.67
7.29
6.80
6.22
3.70
2.06

(Diluted)
9.85
7.56
6.99
6.37
5.60
(N/A due to
lack of time,

pH)
1.87 x 10-3
5.61 x 10-3
6.17 x 10-3
1.23 x 10-2
3.32 x 10-4
9.84 x 10-4

added/pH)
7.26 x 10-4
3.86 x 10-3
6.86 x 10-3
6.17 x 10-3
3.18 x 10-4
(N/A due to lack
of time, but

Matsumoto 3
but would be

should be similar

very basic as

to value obtained

NaOH is a
Aspirin
Bufferi

2.71
4.52

2.13
4.37

with acid)

strong base)
3.28

8.54 x 10-3
3.30 x 10-2

8.69 x 10-3

4.15
9.20
9.80 x 10-4
n
Figure 1: Above, Table 1 includes data collected throughout the experiment with the pH
readings as well as the calculated buffer capacities from the measured pHs.

Buffers Table 2
Measure

Theoretical Buffer

Experimental Buffer

Solution

Experimental Buffer
Capacity (Base)

1
2
3
4

d pH
9.00
7.40
6.90
6.27

Capacity
1.43 x 10-3
2.19 x 10-2
2.04 x 10-2
8.58 x 10-3

Capacity (Acid)
1.87 x 10-3
5.61 x 10-3
6.17 x 10-3
1.23 x 10-2

4.63

2.43 x 10-4

3.32 x 10-4

3.18 x 10-4

9.84 x 10-4
8.54 x 10-3
3.30 x 10-2

N/A
8.69 x 10-3

7.09
9.36 x 10-8
2.71
1.15 x 10-2
4.52
*See Discussion
Bufferin
4.15
*See Discussion
Figure 2: Above, Table Two compares the theoretical
DI Water
Aspirin

7.26 x 10-4
3.86 x 10-3
6.86 x 10-3
6.17 x 10-3

9.80 x 10-4
buffer capacities with the experimental

buffer capacities at the measured pHs from the experiment.

Matsumoto 4

Buffer Capacity vs. pH

0.03

0.02
Theoretical Buffer Capacities

Experimental Buffer Capacities (Acid)

0.02
Buffer Capacity
0.01
Experimental Buffer
0.01 Capacities (Base)

0
5

5.5

6.5

7.5

8.5

pH

Figure 3: This graph represents the theoretical buffer capacities that one would theoretically
obtain at the measured pHs of the solutions. The individual points are the experimentally
obtained buffer capacities, which differed from the theoretical values as pH approached 7.

Discussion
Before any part of this lab was performed, pre-lab calculations were done to find the pHs
of the solutions that were to be made in the lab. Solutions one through five were calculated to
have respective pHs of 9.90, 7.68, 7.21, 6.73, and 4.30. After making the solutions, however, the
pHs were measured to be 9.00, 7.40, 6.90, 6.27, and 4.63. The discrepancy could be accounted
for in the measurement of the masses of KH 2PO4 and K2HPO4. The masses calculated were so
precise to more than 6 decimal places, but the scales in the lab can only go to so many decimal
places. This could have changed the compositions of the solutions made to make the resulting

Matsumoto 5
five solutions. Another error could be accounted for with the pH probe, as it may not have been
calibrated as accurately as possible.
Looking at the buffer capacities, one thing to take notice of is the buffer capacity found
experimentally with acid and with base. These two values should be almost the same, as buffer
capacity should be the same within a solution despite what is being added. All of the solutions
had almost similar buffer capacities, as demonstrated with Solution 5, which had buffer
capacities of .000319 and .000318, a difference of just .000001! Visually, looking at the graph,
the experimental buffer capacities were plotted as points, and one can see that each point is
paired with its acid-based of base-based buffer capacity, showing that these values are indeed
very close, as expected.
Comparing these experimental values to the theoretical values at the measured pHs,
however, the buffer capacities do not seem to agree. The purpose of the experiment is to
determine the buffer capacities, but in order to practice good lab skills, these buffer capacities
obtained from the experiment should be the same as the theoretical buffer capacities at the
measured pH. For solutions 1, 4, and 5, the buffer capacities were similar to that of the
theoretical values, as Solution 5 had an experimental value of .00187 and a theoretical value of .
00143. Solutions 2 and 3 had buffer capacities that did not match up with the theoretical values,
which could be due to experimental error. When mixing the diluted HCl or NaOH with water,
they may not have mixed properly as they were put together in a small graduated cylinder. When
the diluted acid or base was added to the solution, the dilution may not have mixed completely
and may have been added to the solution in a higher concentration than intended.
The question at hand, for part one of this experiment, is which solution had the best
buffer capacity? The best buffer capacity would indicate the largest buffer capacity, which would

Matsumoto 6
lead to the smallest change in pH. Looking at experimental values, the Solution 4 had the best
buffer capacity with 1.23 x 10 -2 and 6.17 x 10-3. This is not expected because looking at the
theoretical values, Solution 2 should have had the best buffer capacity with its theoretical value
being the largest at 2.19 x 10-2. The solution that had the smallest buffer capacity was solution 5
with values of 3.32 x 10-4 and 3.18 x 10-4, which were one magnitude less than the other
solutions buffer capacities. This is expected, as the Ka value for solution 5 was 6.23 x 10 -8 while
the Kb value for solution 1 is larger, making the reaction proceed further to make a more
balanced ratio of K2HPO4 and KH2PO4, a desired result with buffers as buffers work best when
their components concentrations are equal. Looking at these results, the optimal buffer would lie
within the pH range of 7.0 to 7.4 as the theoretical buffer capacity values are highest at this point
as seen within the graph in Figure 3 and table in Figure 1.
As for part two of the experiment, the average of the buffer capacities of Bufferin was
higher than the buffer capacities of Aspirin with an average of 1.70 x 10 -2 for Bufferin compared
to the average of 8.62 x 10-3 for Aspirin. This is expected because although the theoretical value
of Aspirin is 1.15 x 10-2, the Bufferin can be assumed to have a higher buffer capacity. The
theoretical buffer capacity of Bufferin cannot be determined with the knowledge given thus far in
the Chemistry 155 course due to the fact that the Bufferin includes more than one species,
making it difficult to determine its Ka value and even more difficult to find its buffer capacity.
Looking at its composition, however, one can deduce that Bufferin would have the higher buffer
capacity because its makeup consists of more than one species whereas Aspirin just consists of
acetylsalicylic acid. The experimental values exemplify this and carry out the theoretical
predictions.

Matsumoto 7
Conclusion
In this experiment, Solution 4 had the highest buffer capacity while Solution 5 had the
lowest buffer capacity. Theoretically, however, Solution 2 should have had the highest buffer
capacity as its composition of KH 2PO4 and K2HPO4 are at the most balanced ratio and can be
confirmed using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation in which an optimal buffer has equal
concentrations of both species present in the buffer. Solution 5 was expected to have the lowest
buffer capacity as its small Ka shows its tendency to not create more acid and have an
unbalanced ratio of species present. As for the comparison of Aspirin and Bufferin as buffers,
Bufferin has a higher buffer capacity as it contains more species to make for a better buffer while
Aspirin only includes acetylsalicylic acid. This was exemplified and emphasized as the
experimental results confirmed this observation.

Matsumoto 8

Calculations
1. Calculating Mass to Produce .1 M KHPO4 and .1 M K2HPO4 in .1 L Solutions
mol
g
( L)
= Amount of Substance be added
a.
L
mol
mol
174.175 g
.1
( .1 L )
=1.741759 g K 2 HP O 4
b.
L
1 mol
2. Calculating Experimental Buffer Capacity
[ H OH ] added Concentration of Acid Base Added
=
=
a.
pH
Change pH
b. E.g. Solution 1:
i. [H+] = (.1 M)(.25 mL) = x (2.5 mL) dilution of HCl
mol
.25mL
5
.05
=1.25 x 1 0 mol
L
mL
x = .05 M =
1000
L
+
H

H +
1.25 x 105 mol
=
.02025 L

4
6.17 x 10 M
ii.
=
=1.87 x 1 03
9.008.67
3. Calculating Theoretical Buffer Capacity
+
H

+
H
Ka+ [ )
a.

( 2 ) C whereC=total M of buffer species

Ka

=ln ( 10 )
b. E.g. Solution 1:
6.23 x 108 [ 109.00 ]
=ln ( 10 )
( .04 M )
2
( 6.23 x 108+ [ 109.00 ] )

( ) ( )
( ) (

=1.43 x 103

)(

Matsumoto 9