BUFFER SOLUTION

Buffer solution is a solution which is composed

from weak acid and its salt or weak base
and its salt.
Example:
1. CH3COOH and CH3COONa
This buffer solution composed of weak acid
(CH3COOH) and its salt (CH3COONa)

2. NH4OH and NH4Cl

This buffer solution composed of weak base
(NH4OH) and its salt (NH4Cl)
Solution SBI 2008 42
 BUFFER SOLUTION(cont’d)

In the first solution, if we add acid, then the

acid will be neutralized by left over of acid
(sisa asam)
CH3COO- + H+  CH3COOH
If we add base (OH-), it will be neutralized by
the acid; CH3COOH + OH-  CH3COO- + H2O
The same thing occur when we add acid or
base to the buffer solution 2 ( NH4OH and
NH4Cl)

To calculate pH of the two buffer solutions the

formula used as the following:
Solution SBI 2008 43
 BUFFER SOLUTION(cont’d)
Weak acid and its salt Weak base and its salt
+ [Acid] - [Base]
[H ] = Ka . [OH ] = K b .
[Salt] [Salt]

+ [Acid] - [Base]
- log [H ] = - log Ka - log - log [OH ] = - log Kb - log
[Salt] [Salt]

So pOH will be equaled to:

So pH will be equaled to:
[Salt]
[Salt] pOH = pKb + log
pH = pKa + log [Base]
[Acid]
and remember pH + pOH = pKw

Solution SBI 2008 44

 BUFFER SOLUTION(cont’d)

[Acid] = the molar concentration of weak acid

[Base] = the molar concentration of weak base
[Salt] = the molar concentration of salt either
from weak acid or weak base

Example:
1. 0.1 M acetic acid mixed with 0.01 M sodium
acetate. If Ka is 1 x 10-5, the pH of this
solution will be:

Solution SBI 2008 45

 BUFFER SOLUTION(cont’d)

Answer:
This solution is composed of weak acid and its
salt, so the buffer formula applies to
calculate pH of this solution.
[Acid] = 0.1 M; [Salt] = 0.01 M
The pH = pKa + log [Salt]/[Acid]
pH = - log 1 x 10-5 + log (0.01/0.1)
=5–1
=4

Solution SBI 2008 46

 BUFFER SOLUTION(cont’d)

2. 0.01 M ammonium hydroxide mixed with 0.1

M ammonium chloride. If Kb is 1 x 10-5, the
pH of this solution will be:
Answer:
This solution is composed of weak base
(NH4OH) and its salt (NH4Cl), so the buffer
formula applies to calculate pH of this
solution.
[Base] = 0.01 M; [Salt] = 0.1 M
The pOH = pKb + log [Salt]/[Base]

Solution SBI 2008 47

 BUFFER SOLUTION(cont’d)

The pOH = pKb + log [Salt]/[Base]

pOH = - log 1 x 10-5 + log (0.1/0.01)
= 5 +1
=6
pH = pKw – pOH = 14 – 6 = 8

Question 1.
6 grams of acetic acid (Mr 60) and 9.8 grams
of potassium acetate (Mr 98) is mixed in 1 L
solution, what the pH of the solution will be?
(Ka 1 x 10-5)
Solution SBI 2008 48
 BUFFER SOLUTION(cont’d)

Question 2.
35 grams of NH4OH (Mr 35) and 26.75 grams
of NH4Cl (Mr 53.5) is mixed in 0.5 L solution,
what the pH of the solution will be? (Kb 1 x
10-5)

Question 3.
If we react 12 g of CH3COOH (Mr 60) and 4 g
NaOH (Mr 40) in 1 L solution, what the pH of
the solution (Ka 1 x 10-5)

Solution SBI 2008 49

 BUFFER SOLUTION(cont’d)

Question 4.
One RSBI student wants to make a buffer
solution of NH4OH (Mr 35) and NH4Cl (Mr
53.5) with the pH of 10 in 500 mL. If Kb is 1
x 10-5, what the mass ratio of base and salt
must be added?

Solution SBI 2008 50

 HYDROLYSIS

Hydrolysis is a reaction between a salt and

water in which the anion (from the weak
acid) or the cation (the weak base) of the
salt react with water so the solution will be
acidic or basic

The hydrolysis can only occur when: the

number of moles reacts between acid and
base are equal

The solution become basic or acidic depends

on the salt that was hydrolyzed.
Solution SBI 2008 51
 Hydrolysis(Cont’d)

1. The reaction between salt formed of strong

acid and strong base with water
Example as in:
NaCl  Na+ + Cl-

Na+ is from NaOH 

Cl- is from HCl 

As Na+ and Cl- are from strong base and acid,

so NaCl is neutral, then the Na+ and Cl- ions
will not be able to react with water.
Solution SBI 2008 52
 Hydrolysis(Cont’d)

As a result, the hydrolysis in not occurred to

the salt which are formed strong acid and
strong base.

How about KCl or MgSO4?

Are they hydrolyzed?

They can not be hydrolyzed as well, as they

are formed from strong acid and base.

Solution SBI 2008 53

 Hydrolysis(Cont’d)

2. The reaction between salt formed of strong

acid and weak base with water
Example as in: NH4Cl
In water, NH4Cl will be ionized as follows:
NH4Cl <==> NH4+ + Cl- (1)

NH4+ + H2O <==> NH4OH + H+ (2)

The NH4OH formed is a based, so the

equilibrium constant of the last reaction (in
equation 2) will be
Solution SBI 2008 54
 +
[NH4OH ] [H ]
+ Hydrolysis(Cont’d)
K= (3) The value of K. H2O is also a
+
[NH4 ] [H2O]
constant value, as the concen-
+ + tration of H2O as the solvent
[NH4OH ] [H ]
K [H2O] = + (4) is constant.
[NH4 ]

This constant value is

+ +
given a symbol of Kh. [NH4OH ] [H ]
This value is Kh = + (5)
[NH4 ]
dependent on the
salt and temperature.

Solution SBI 2008 55

 Hydrolysis(Cont’d)

As NH4OH is a weak base which is difficult to

ionize, the equilibrium in Equation 2 will be
shifted to the right, so the water ionization
will increase, so the amount of H+ formed
will increase too, so the solution will be
acidic.
The Cl- ion will remain constant, as it will not
react with water. Why?
Is there any relation between Kb, Kh and Kw?
In the last equation (5) let’s say, we multiply
with [OH-]/ [OH-], so we have
Solution SBI 2008 56
 Hydrolysis(Cont’d)

+ -
[NH4OH] [H ][OH ]
Kh = + -
[NH4 ] [OH ]
+ -
[NH4 ] [OH ]
Remember: Kb =
[NH4OH]
+ -
and Kw = [H ] [OH ] ; so

Kw
1 Kw or Kh =
Kh = Kb
Kb

Solution SBI 2008 57

 Hydrolysis(Cont’d)

If we insert Kh = Kw/Kb into Equation (5) then

we get:
+
Kw [NH4OH] [H ]
= +
(6)
Kb [NH4 ]

The concentration of NH4OH and H+ based on

the reaction 2 is equal. By assuming that
the amount of NH4+ which reacted with
water is very small compared to the initial
concentration of NH4+ (from NH4Cl), so
Equation 6 can be changed into following
equation to calculate pH of hydrolysis:
Solution SBI 2008 58
 Hydrolysis(Cont’d)
+ 2
Kw [H ]
= +
Kb [NH4 ]

+ 2 Kw
[H ] = . +
[NH4 ] ; So
Kb

Kw
+
[H ] = . [NH4+]
Kb

If the concentration of [NH4+] = [Salt] in molar

concentration then:
Solution SBI 2008 59
 Hydrolysis(Cont’d)
Kw
+
[H ] = . [Salt]
Kb and

pH = 1/2 pKw - 1/2 pKb - 1/2 log [salt]

In this reaction the pH will be acidic.

Why?

3.The reaction between salt formed of

strong base and weak acid with water

For example is CH3COONa, a salt formed from NaOH

and CH3COOH Solution SBI 2008 60
 Hydrolysis(Cont’d)

The process like in the salt of strong acid and

weak base occurred.
The solution will be…….
The value of Kh = Kw/Ka, so:
Kw
-
[OH ] = . [Salt]
Ka and

pOH = 1/2 pKw - 1/2 pKa - 1/2 log [salt]

or if we calculate pH straight way, we can use:

pH = 1/2 pKw + 1/2 pKa + 1/2 log [salt]

Solution SBI 2008 61
 Hydrolysis(Cont’d)

In the hydrolysis no. 2 and 3, we call as partial hydrolysis

as only one ion is hydrolyzed.

4.The reaction between salt formed of weak

base and weak acid with water
In this hydrolysis as the salt are from an anion
of weak acid and a cation of weak base, so
all the anions will react with water. This is
called as total hydrolysis.
The value of Kh = Kw/(Ka x Kb), so the value of
pH will only depend on the value of Ka and
Kb
Solution SBI 2008 62
 Hydrolysis(Cont’d)

Example 1.
Calculate pH of NH4Cl solution 0.1M (Kb NH4OH 1x 10-5)

Answer:
NH4Cl is a salt formed from ………

pH = ½ pKw – ½ pKb – ½ Log [Salt]

= (½ x 14) – (½ x 5) – (½x-1)
= 7 – 2.5 +0.5
= 4.5

Solution SBI 2008 63

 Hydrolysis(Cont’d)

Example 2.
Calculate pH of CH3COONa solution 0.1M (Ka
CH3COOH 1x 10-5)

Answer:
CH3COONa is a salt formed from ………

pH = ½ pKw + ½ pKa + ½ Log [Salt]

= (½ x 14) + (½ x 5)+ (½x-1)
= 7 + 2.5 -0.5
=9
Solution SBI 2008 64
 Hydrolysis(Cont’d)

Question Calculate pH of :
5. NaOCl solution 0.5M (Ka HOCl 3x 10-8)
6. 26.75 g NH4Cl (Mr 53.5) in 5 L solution (Kb NH4OH 1 x
10-5)
7. 1.764 g NaCN (Mr 49) in 1.5 L solution (Ka HCN 5x10-10)
8. 1.2 g CH3COOH (Mr 60; Ka 1 x 10-5) is reacted with 0.08
g NaOH (Mr 40)
9. 125 mL NH4OH 0.2 M is reacted with 125 mL HCl 0.2 M
Kb NH4OH 1 x 10-5)

Solution SBI 2008 64