Buffers

Definition

Buffers are solutions that resist changes in their pH when small amounts of an acid or a base are added.

Related terms

Buffer Solution:

A mixture of weak acids and their conjugate bases, or weak bases and their conjugate acids, which resists changes in pH.

Conjugate Acid-Base Pair: Two substances related by the loss or gain of one hydrogen ion.

Equilibrium Constant Expression for Acids/Bases (Ka/Kb): Mathematical representation showing how concentrations of products over reactants relate at equilibrium for acidic/basic reactions.