3.

0 RESULT & DISCUSSION

Table 1: PH values of initial distilled water and buffer solution

PH Value
Solution
Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Average

Distilled water

6.76

6.66

6.78

6.73

Buffer solution

4.61

4.66

4.61

4.63

Table 2: PH values of mixed solutions (HCL & NaOH + Distilled Water)

PH Value
Solution
Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Average

HCL

1.90

1.81

1.81

1.84

NaOH

11.71

11.70

11.71

11.71

+
Distilled Water

Comparison of pH value in distilled water

distilled water with NaOH

distilled water

distilled water with HCl

Figure 1: Comparison of pH value in distilled water

10

11

12

Table 3: PH values of mixed solution (HCL & NaoH + Buffer solution)

PH Value
Solution
Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Average

HCL

2.41

2.26

2.21

2.29

NaOH

10.58

10.76

10.78

10.71

+
Buffer solution

Comparison of pH value in buffer solution

buffer solution with NaOH

buffer solution

buffer solution with acetic acid

Figure 2: Comparison of pH value in buffer solution

10

11

12

In this Preparation of Buffer Solution experiment, they were three objectives that
needed to be achieve. Firstly, to prepare buffer solutions and study the components that are
needed to prepare a buffer solution. Next, to understand the effect of pH value of buffer
solution when mixed with acid or base solution. Another objective was to learn the
mechanism of buffer solution in order to stabilize the pH value of a solution.
There are two parts in conducting the experiment, which are the Preparation of the
Buffer Solution and Effectiveness of the buffer solution. For the first part that is related to the
first objective, the buffer solution was prepared by calculating the ratio of acetic acid and
acetate, as shown in the calculation in the appendices.
pH is a measure of acidity or alkalinity of a water solution. The acidity or alkalinity of
a water solution is determined by the relative number of hydrogen ions (H +) or hydroxyl ions
(OH-) present. Acidic solution have a higher relative number of hydrogen ions, while alkaline
solution have higher ions. pH value will going decrease due to the increasing of relative
number of hydrogen ions, while pH value will increase due to the decreasing of relative
number of hydroxyl ions, (Emerson,2010).
Based on table 1, the pH value of buffer solution measured by the pH meter is 4.63,
compared to the theoretical calculation which is 5.00 in pH value. This is might due to
contaminations inside the apparatus during the preparing the buffer solution, which affect the
expected ratio of acetic acid and acetate in buffer solution. If the acidic properties is higher
than the base properties in the buffer solution, its pH value will become lower. Hence, prove
the obtained pH value of buffer solution.
According to Vernier, updated in 2012, deionized or distilled water is not accurately
equal to 7 in pH value. The moment it comes in contact with air, CO 2 gas begins dissolving
into it, forming carbonic acid. The actual pH, therefore, will often be slightly less than 7.
From the experiment and data in table 1, the obtained pH value of distilled water is 6.73,
which follows the theory application.
For part two of the experiment, hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium hydroxide
(NaOH) were used to analyse the effectiveness of buffet solution. The pH value of distilled
water decreased from 6.73 to 1.84 when added with hydrochloric acid (HCl) and then
increased from 6.73 to 11.71 when added with sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Meanwhile, the
pH value of buffer solution also decreased from 4.63 to 2.29 when being added with

hydrochloric acid and increased from 4.63 to 10.71 when being added with sodium
hydroxide.
According to Austincc, the function of buffer is to minimize the change in pH when
base or acid is added to the solution. Supposedly, the pH value of buffer solution should not
increase or decreased in bigger range than pH 4.4 to pH 4.8 when mixed with acid or base
solutions. Based on the website chemcollective.org, for an example, if hydrochloric acid
(HCl) is added in an excessive volume, the weak base A- in the buffer solution will then ran
out. When the A- is finally gone, any additional HCl will donate its proton. This will then
increase the concentrations [H+] and so the pH value drops. This shows why the pH value of
buffer solution decreased and increased dramatically when being added with hydrochloric
acid (HCl) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH).
While running the experiment, there were some errors occurred that might cause
differences between the theory and calculated result. First, a parallax error occurred, where
the chemical used in preparing the solutions for the experiment were not taken and measured
precisely as needed. Next, there might have a little contamination that caused the prepared
buffer solutions pH value is averagely 4.63, when it was supposedly to be 5.00 in pH value.
Meanwhile, error could also occurred when handling the pH meter in measuring the pH
values of the solutions. The pH electrode may not have been cleaned thoroughly or the data
was taken before the pH meter became stable.