A student must make a buffer solution with a ph of 5.5. determine which of the acids and conjugate bases listed below are the best options to make a buffer at the specified ph.

Weak acid

Explanation:

The key to this question is understanding what we mean by

pH and pKa, which are logarithmic functions. Students tend to have problems with the logarithmic function. I will introduce the subject briefly.

When I write logab =c, I am asking to what power I raise the base a, to get b. Here ac = b. Now, usually we use the bases 10 or e. So log10100 = 2, log101000 = 3, log101000000 = 6. Likewise log100.1 = log1010 − 1 = −1. In the days before electronic calculators (approx. 30-40 years), students would be issued log tables so that complicated calculations could be performed.

From the above

pH = −log10[H3O +], and pKa = −log10Ka. These are simple functions that have been widely used in chemistry.

Now it is fact, that when a weak acid is mixed with its conjugate base in appreciable concentrations, a buffer solution is formed that tends to resist gross changes in

pH.

We can write, pH = pKa + log10 {[A−][HA]}.

It is clear that when [HA] = [A−], then pH = pKa because log10 {[A−][HA]} = log101 = 0

So we want an acid whose pKa ≅ pH . To get pKa

I simply perform the function

−log10Ka, on each of the acid dissociation constants.

pKaHA = 2.57; pKaHB = 5.36; pKaHC = 8.58;

We want to maintain pH at 5.5, so it is clear that acid HB

is the acid of choice

The best acids and conjugate bases to make a buffer solution with a ph of 5.5 are:

Explanation:

The under-listed steps are under taken to prepare a buffer solution with a pH of 5?

in 1783 cavendish was working with his hydrogen gas and found that when he burned it and condensed the vapor it was water. this was very significant since it disproved the greek theory of elements completely since water was not a simple substance but the product of two gases. it was lavoisier who hearing of the experiment gave cavendish's gas the name hydrogen ("water-producer") and added that hydrogen burned by combining with oxygen and that water was a hydrogen-oxygen combination.

explanation: