Final answer:
In a buffer solution consisting of a weak acid and its salt, if the ratio of the concentration of salt to acid is increased by 10 times, the pH of the solution will increase by 1 unit.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a buffer solution consisting of a weak acid and its salt, if the ratio of the concentration of salt to acid is increased by 10 times, the pH of the solution will increase by 1 unit. The pH of a buffer solution is determined by the ratio of the concentrations of the weak acid and its conjugate base. When the ratio is increased by 10 times, it means that the concentration of the base has increased while the concentration of the acid has decreased.
For example, let's consider a buffer solution consisting of acetic acid (CH3COOH) and sodium acetate (CH3COONa). If the initial ratio of [CH3COONa]/[CH3COOH] is 1:1 and the pH is 4.74, increasing the ratio to 10:1 will increase the pH to 5.74. This is because the increasing concentration of the base (CH3COONa) will make the solution more alkaline.