Acetate Buffer

Definition

An acetate buffer is a solution made by combining acetic acid and its conjugate base, acetate ion. It resists changes in pH when small amounts of acid or base are added.

Analogy

Think of an acetate buffer as a team of superheroes working together to maintain order. Acetic acid is like the superhero who fights against bases, while the acetate ion is like the sidekick who helps neutralize any added acids.

Related terms

Conjugate Base: The conjugate base is formed when an acid donates a proton (H+) during a chemical reaction.

Acidic pH: A low pH value (less than 7) indicates an acidic solution with high concentration of H+ ions.

Basic Solution: A basic solution has a high concentration of OH- ions and typically has a pH greater than 7.

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Practice Questions (1)

You need to prepare an acetate buffer of pH 5.83 from a 0.642 M acetic acid solution and a 2.31 M KOH solution. If you have 975 mL of the acetic acid solution, how many milliliters of the KOH solution do you need to add to make a buffer of pH 5.830? (pKa = 4.752)

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AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.