Chemistry 3046L Fall, 2017 Experiment: Buffers

Purpose:

To learn and practice calculations and methods for preparing most of the buffers needed for the
semester. This lab will focus upon solving concentration and pH problems with weak acid and
weak base solutions.

Pre-Lab:

Before you prepare the phosphate buffer below, use the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation for the
several practice calculations that follow:
I) Calculate the pH of a 0.35M acetic acid solution
II) Calculate the pH of a 0.35M sodium acetate solution
III) Calculate the pH of a 0.35M sodium acetate and 0.35M acetic acid solution.
IV) Calculate the pH of 0.35M acetic acid solution to which NaOH has been added to a final
concentration of 0.20M.

Materials and Methods:

Chemicals
Tris Base (s) Glycine (s) Deionized water(l)
Potassium acetate (s) Boric Acid(s) Sodium hydroxide(s)
Hydrochloric acid (l)* Sodium phosphate, dibasic (s) Sodium dodecyl sulfate(s)
(SDS)
Glacial acetic acid (l)
Materials and Instruments
Graduated Cylinder (50mL, Calibrated pipettors and pipet Volumetric flask, 1L
500mL) tips**
Balances pH meter and electrode Weigh boats
*Liquid chemical, fuming HCl can be found in the hood. This chemical is corrosive and
volatile.Do not transport it out of the hood!
**DO NOT USE CALIBRATED PIPETTORS TO MEASURE STRONG ACIDS OR BASES.
This WILL corrode the inner workings of your pipet and ruin the hard work youve done to
calibrate your instruments.

Make sure that the pH meters have been calibrated using pH 4 and 7 standard buffers before you
use them.
A) Prepare 50mL of 6M NaOH and 6M HCl
B) Prepare 1L of a 0.10M sodium phosphate buffer solution, pH 7.
C) Prepare 1L of a 2X SDS buffer solution containing 0.39M glycine, 0.050M Tris Base,
0.20% SDS, and adjust final pH to 8.3 using your HCl and NaOH solutions if necessary.
D) Prepare 0.5L of buffer containing a 10X TB buffer consisting of 0.9M Tris, 0.9M boric
acid, and adjust pH to 8.0 using your HCl and NaOH solutions from (A) if necessary.
E) Prepare 1L of 0.5M potassium acetate, pH 6.0 buffer, using sodium acetate or glacial
acetic acid to adjust pH.

Have your calculations checked by the instructors before proceeding.

 Chemistry 3046L Fall, 2017 Experiment: Buffers

In your notebooks, show your practice calculations as well as those you used to prepare the
sodium phosphate buffer requested. Indicate what the final pH values were of solutions (B) and
(C) that you made as described above, as well.

Answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. pH of 0.45 M HNO3
2. [H+] of solution with pH = 3.23
3. pH of 0.45 M KOH

Useful equations and information that may be needed for the questions below:
General definitions:
pH =-log[H+] pH =log[H+] 10-pH =
[H+]
pOH=-log[OH] pKa= -log[Ka] pKb= -log[Kb]
pKw=-log[Kw] pH = pKa + log([A-]/[HA])
Ka *Kb = Kw
In Neutral Water:
[H+] = [OH]=1x107M Kw=[H+][OH]=1x1014 pH+pOH=pKw=14
M
Important pKa values:
Phosphate: 1.0, 6.9, 12.5 Acetate: 4.74 Tris: 8.00