RESULT

1.Calculation on the buffer preparation:

[𝐴−]
pH = Pka + log10 [𝐻𝐴]

[𝑠𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒]
5.0 = 4.77 + 𝑙𝑜𝑔
[𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑑]

[𝑠𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒]
0.23 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔
[𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑑]

[𝑠𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒]
1.698 =
[𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑑]

1.698 citric acid = 1 sodium citrate,

2.
[𝑀𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝐴] + 𝑆𝐴
0.1 𝑀 =
[0.25𝐿]

Moles of NA +SA=0.025 [SA]=1.698CA

1.698 NA =SA=0.025

[CA]+[CA]1.698=0.025

2.698[CA]=0.025 [CA]=0.00927 mol

1.698[CA]=[SA] 1.698(0.00937 mol) [SA]=0.01574 mol.

𝑔
Weight citric acid needed = 210.138 𝑚𝑜𝑙 × 0.00927 𝑚𝑜𝑙 = 1.9478 𝑔

𝑔
Weight sodium citrate = 294.81 𝑚𝑜𝑙 × 0.01574𝑚𝑜𝑙 = 4.640𝑔

𝑚𝑜𝑙 0.00927 𝑚𝑜𝑙

Molarity of [CA]= = = 0.1, V=0.0927 L
𝐿 𝑉

𝑚𝑜𝑙 0.0154 𝑚𝑜𝑙

Molarity of [SA]= = = 0.1, V=0.1574L L
𝐿 𝑉

Volume citric acid needed = 0.0927 L to ml=92.7 ml

Volume sodium citrate needed=0.01574 L to ml=157.4 ml

 pH

Chemical pH Acid (1 ml of 1M Base (1 ml of

HCL) 1M NaOH)

Buffer 4.92 - -

Distilled water added with - 1.74 11.74

other chemical

Buffer added with other - 4.54 5.12

chemical
DISCUSSION

The experiment is about preparation of buffer solution. A buffer is a solution that have
the ability to resist changes in pH when limited amounts of acid or base are added to it. A buffer
solution has wide range of use such as in the fermentation processes and in setting the correct
conditions for dyes used in colouring fabrics. Therefore, the objective of this experiment is to
test the effectiveness of buffer solution in resisting the pH changes of a solution. pH is a
measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution and it is determined by the relative
number of hydrogen ions (H+) or hydroxyl ions (OH-) present. Acidic solutions high number
of hydrogen ions, while alkaline (basic) solutions have a high number of hydroxyl ions.

The experiment was divided into two parts. In part A, the buffer solution was prepared.
Firstly, prepare 0.1M of citric acid and sodium citrate by adding up 157.4 ml of citric acid and
92.7 ml of sodium citrate in a 250 volumetric flask. The solution was mixed well and 25ml of
the buffer was poured and put into a beaker. The pH of the buffer was then measured. In part
B, the experiment was conducted to test the effectiveness of the buffer solution. Firstly, 25 ml
of distilled water were poured to two different beakers. One beaker was added with 1 ml of 1M
of acid (HCL) while another one was added with 1 ml of 1M of base (NaOH). Next, measured
the pH. After that, repeat the procedure by replacing the distilled water with the prepared buffer
solution.

In part A, the initial pH of the buffer was 4.92. The value was slightly different with
the expected pH that is 5. This is because, one of the factors that determined the pH of the
buffer is the ratio of weak base to the weak acid. During the experiment or the preparation of
the buffer solution, the buffer may have contained more acid which means more H+ ions were
present than base which resulting the pH of the buffer reduced slightly to 4.92. In part B, the
solution used were distilled water that each of it had pH value 1.74 and 11.74. The first value
(pH 1.74) has lower value since it was added with strong acid which was hydrochloric acid
while the other one had higher value of pH 11.74 since it was added with strong base which
was sodium hydroxide.

The effectiveness of the buffer was compared with distilled water by adding up the
same chemicals as distilled water previously. Buffer capacity is a measure of the efficiency of
a buffer in resisting changes in pH and it depends on two factors which are ratio of the salt to
the acid or base and total buffer concentration. Based on the result, for beaker that added up
with acid (HCL), the pH value was 4.54 while the other one added up with strong base (NaOH),
the pH value was 5.12. There were big differences of pH value when using distilled water
compared to when using buffer solution. Both of the values show that it was more to acidic
value which was near to the pH value of the prepared buffer solution. Since the pH value when
using distilled water changes a lot when chemicals were added, it shows that distilled water
does not resist to pH change compared to when using buffer solution. This shows that the
prepared buffer solution is resistant to the pH change.

There were also some error in the pH measurement. Firstly, improper electrode storage.
Usually, the electrode was stored without the use of the storage solution. The electrode was
made up of three layers and the hydrated layer are responsible for the sensitivity needed to
detect the changes in pH. So, by drying out the electrode, the sensitivity will also be reduced.
Next, simply let the pH electrode touch the sample will not give out an accurate value. But the
pH sensing portion and reference junction needs to be completely immersed in order to
properly function. Not cleaning the electrode also contribute in the error of the pH measurement
since deposits that form on the electrode coat the sensing glass, like fats and oils in food will
be resulting measuring the deposits and the sample, rather than just the sample.

One of the important of pH buffer in industrial system is used in fermentation process.

This is because, maintaining stable pH or hydrogen ion concentration is important in obtaining
a good yield from fermentation. That's because the yeast that ferment the sugars are living
organisms, and their biochemistry only functions well within a certain pH range. if the pH is
so high or low that it falls outside their tolerance range, it could inhibit their growth or even
kill them.
REFERENCE

Chemcollective (unknown year), Predicting the pH of a Buffer, (Available from world wide
web : http://chemcollective.org/activities/tutorials/buffers/buffers4) , (Accessed on 15th
February 2018)

Dave Masulli (unknown year), Top 10 Mistakes in pH Measurement, (Available from world
wide web : http://blog.hannainst.com/top-10-mistakes-in-ph-measurement) , (Accessed on 16th
February 2018)