Why should you use a buffer in chemistry?

1 Answer
anor277
Dec 24, 2016

To moderate gross changes in #pH#.

Explanation:

The buffer equation is #pH=pK_a + log_10([[A^-]]/[[HA]])#.

And thus use of a buffer allows fairly stable values of #pH#, even with the addition of random quantities of acid or base. Biological systems are extensively buffered, in that gross changes in #pH# would probably be deleterious to an organism.

See here for a derivation of the formula.

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