8.

TOPIC: 8.4 ACID-BASE REACTIONS AND BUFFERS

LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
8.4.A Explain the relationship among the concentrations of major species in a mixture of weak and strong acids
and bases.
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE:
8.4.A.1 When a strong acid and a strong base are mixed, they react quantitatively in a reaction represented by the
equation: H+(aq) + OH-(aq) → H2O(l). The pH of the resulting solution may be determined from the concentration
of excess reagent.
8.4.A.2 When a weak acid and a strong base are mixed, they react quantitatively in a reaction represented by the
equation: HA(aq) + OH-(aq) ⇌ A-(aq) + H2O(l).
• If the weak acid is in excess, then a buffer solution is formed, and the pH can be determined from the
Henderson-Hasselbalch (H-H) equation (see 8.9.A.1).
• If the strong base is in excess, then the pH can be determined from the moles of excess hydroxide ion
and the total volume of solution.
• If they are equimolar, then the (slightly basic) pH can be determined from the equilibrium
represented by the equation: A- (aq) + H2O(l) ⇌ HA(aq) + OH-(aq)
8.4.A.3 When a weak base and a strong acid are mixed, they will react quantitatively in a reaction represented by the
equation: B(aq) + H3O+ (aq) ⇌ HB+(aq) + H2O(l).
• If the weak base is in excess, then a buffer solution is formed, and the pH can be determined from the
H-H equation.
• If the strong acid is in excess, then the pH can be determined from the moles of excess hydronium ion
and the total volume of solution.
• If they are equimolar, then the (slightly acidic) pH can be determined from the equilibrium
represented by the equation: HB+(aq) + H2O(l) ⇌B(aq) + H3O+ (aq)
8.4.A.4 When a weak acid and a weak base are mixed, they will react to an equilibrium state whose reaction may be
represented by the equation: HA(aq) + B(aq) ⇌ A- (aq) + HB+ (aq).
EQUATION(S):
Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation:
[𝐴− ]
pH = pKa + 𝑙𝑜𝑔
[𝐻𝐴]

NOTES:
Strong Acid + Strong Base
When adding unequal amounts of strong acids and strong bases together, all of the limiting reagent will be
neutralized and the pH of the resulting solution is determined by the excess
reagent.
H+(aq) + OH-(aq) → H2O(l)
To solve this type of problem follow the steps below:
1) Find the moles of acid and the moles of base.
2) All of the limiting reagent will react; find the amount of excess
leftover after the neutralization by subtracting the larger moles–
smaller moles.
3) Divide the moles of the unreacted excess reagent by the total volume
of the solution to find the molarity of the resulting solution.
4) Use the pH square to answer the question.

As a reminder, when a substance completely dissociates/ionizes we describe it as being a strong acid or base.
There are six strong acids: HCl, HBr, HI, HNO3, H2SO4 (for the first hydrogen ion), and HClO4.
(The mnemonic is “SO, I Brought NO Clean ClOthes)
The strong bases are metal hydroxides from Group 1 and 2 on the periodic table.
(The mnemonic is “So, Really Strong Bases Can Certainly Look Pleasing”

Sodium, rubidium, strontium, barium, calcium, cesium, lithium, potassium)

1 TOPIC: 8.4 Acid-Base reactions and Buffers by Emily Miller is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
 8.4
Weak Acid + Strong Base
When a weak acid and a strong base are combined there are three possible combinations.
HA (aq) + OH- (aq) ⇌ A- (aq) + H2O (l).
1) If the weak acid is in excess, then the resulting solution is a buffer solution. A buffer is a solution
containing relatively high concentrations of a conjugate acid-base pair. If a small amount of a strong acid
or base is added to a buffer solution, the buffer solution resists changes to the pH. The Henderson-
Hasselbalch equation can be used to determine the pH of the resulting solution. (Buffers are discussed
further in 8.8 and the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation is discussed in 8.9)
[𝐴− ]
pH = pKa +log [𝐻𝐴]
2) If the strong base is in excess, then the pH of the resulting solution will be calculated from the molarity of
the solution formed from the excess moles of the base divided by the total volume of the solution. This is
similar to the strong acid with a strong base as shown above.
3) If the weak acid and strong base are equimolar, then the pH of the resulting solution will be determined
by the conjugate base of the weak acid. This is the equivalence point.
• Use an ICE diagram to find the equilibrium concentration of the OH-.
• Find the Kb (Kw/Ka) to use as your K constant.
• Use the moles of the conjugate base and the total volume to find the initial molarity.
• Complete the ICE diagram for the reaction shown below:
A- (aq) + H2O(l) ⇌ HA(aq) + OH-(aq)

Weak Base + Strong Acid

When a weak base and a strong acid react there are also three possibilities.
B (aq) + H3O+ (aq) ⇌ HB+ (aq) + H2O (l).
1) If the weak base is in excess, then the resulting solution is a buffer solution and you should use the
Henderson-Hasselbalch equation to determine the pH of the resulting solution.
2) If the strong acid is in excess, then the pH of the resulting solution will be calculated from the molarity of
the solution formed from the excess moles of the hydronium ion divided by the total volume of the
solution.
3) If the weak base and strong acid are equimolar the reaction is at its equivalence point; the moles of the
acid and base are equal. The pH at the equivalence point when a weak base and strong acid are reacting
is determined by the conjugate acid of the weak base.
• Use an ICE diagram to find the equilibrium concentration of the H3O+.
• Start by calculating the initial molarity of the weak conjugate acid by using the moles of the
conjugate acid and the total volume.
• Then complete the ICE table establishing equilibrium as shown in the reaction below.
HB+(aq) + H2O(l) ⇌ B(aq) + H3O+ (aq)

Weak Acid + Weak Base

If weak acid and a weak base are combined the resulting solution will react to reach equilibrium. The reaction can
be shown as:
HA(aq) + B(aq) ⇌ A- (aq) + HB+ (aq)

I DO:
If 100.0 mL of 0.100 M of acetic acid, HCH3COO, is added to 100.0 mL of 0.100 M potassium hydroxide, KOH,
calculate the pH of the resulting solution. The Ka of acetic acid is 1.8x10-5.
Weak acid/Strong Base Neutralization Reaction:
HCH3COO (aq) + KOH(aq) → H2O(l) + KCH3COO (aq)
Net ionic equation:
HCH3COO (aq) +OH-(aq) → H2O(l) + CH3COO- (aq)
Since the moles of acid = moles of base, we know that the reaction will go to completion.
The reaction will then reestablish equilibrium with the weak conjugate base reacting with water.
This is the basis for the ICE diagram.

2 TOPIC: 8.4 Acid-Base reactions and Buffers by Emily Miller is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
 8.4
H2O(l) + CH3COO- (aq)  HCH3COO (aq) +OH-(aq)
H2O(l) CH3COO- (aq) HCH3COO (aq) OH-(aq)
I 0.0500 M 0 0
0.0100 moles C -x +x +x
0.200 L E 0.0500 –x x X

Since this is a base, we need to find the Kb = Kw/Ka.

1.0 x 10 -14 = 5.6 x 10-10
1.8 x 10-5
Kb = [HCH3COO][ OH-]
[CH3COO-]
5.6 x 10-10 = [x][ x]
[0.0500 -x]
X = 5.3 x 10 M = [OH-]
-6

pOH = -log (5.3 x 10-6) = 5.28

pH = 14-5.28 = 8.72
WE DO:
What is the pH of a solution composed of 500.0 mL of 0.250 M sodium hydroxide, NaOH, and
400.0 mL of 0.200 M hydrochloric acid, HCl?

YOU DO:
1) Identify the situations below:
Moles of Acid Moles of Base Excess Acid/Excess Base/Equimolar?
a) 200.0 mL of 0.10 M Strong or Weak? Strong or Weak?
HClO2 is added to 100.0
mL of 0.20 M Mg(OH)2.
b) 50.0 mL of 0.50 M Strong or Weak? Strong or Weak?
HBr is added to 100. mL
of 0.25 M LiOH.
c) 10.0 mL of 1.0 M HI is Strong or Weak? Strong or Weak?
added to 10.0 mL of 2.0
M NH3.

For each situation, describe or show how you will solve to find the pH of the resulting solution.
a) b) c)

3 TOPIC: 8.4 Acid-Base reactions and Buffers by Emily Miller is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
 8.4
2) What is the pH of a solution composed from 52.0 mL of 0.128 M HCl with 48.0 mL of 0.235 M NaOH?

3) Write the net ionic equation (with states of matter) for the reaction between nitrous acid, HNO2 and:

A) ammonia, NH3

B) potassium hydroxide, KOH

C) water, H2O

4) Calculate the pH of a solution that is composed of 90.0 mL of 0.345 M sodium hydroxide, NaOH, and
50.0 mL of 0.123 M lactic acid, HC3H5O3. (Ka of lactic acid = 1.38x10-4)

Question 5 and 6 are a little challenging, you may wish to return to these after learning section 8.9.
5) The pKa of hydrozoic acid, HN3, is 4.72. It reacts with water according to the reaction shown below:

HN3(aq) + H2O(l) ⇌ N3-(aq) + H3O+(aq)

Calculate the pH of a solution formed from 100.0 mL of 0.900 M HN3 and 50.0 mL of 0.300 M NaOH.

6) What is the hydronium ion concentration of a solution formed from 150.0 mL of 0.250 M ammonia, NH3
and 100.0 mL of 0.200 M hydrochloric acid, HCl? Kb for ammonia is 1.80 x 10-5

4 TOPIC: 8.4 Acid-Base reactions and Buffers by Emily Miller is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/