Final answer:
Buffering can bring benefits like maintaining a stable pH level and preventing large changes in pH. However, it can also incur costs like being time-consuming and expensive to create and maintain buffers.
Step-by-step explanation:
Buffering can bring several benefits. One of the main benefits is that it helps to maintain a stable pH level in a solution. This is important because many chemical reactions and biological processes require a specific pH range to function properly. Buffering can also reduce the impact of adding small amounts of acid or base to a solution, preventing large changes in pH. However, buffering also incurs some costs. Creating and maintaining buffers can be time-consuming and expensive. Additionally, using too much buffer can lead to a decrease in the buffering capacity, making the solution more vulnerable to pH changes.