Question

Which of the following solutions is a buffer? Which of the following solutions is a buffer? a solution of sulfuric acid and sodium sulfate a solution of acetic acid and sodium sulfate a solution of acetic acid and sodium acetate a solution of hydrochloric acid and sodium acetate a solution of hydrochloric acid and sodium sulfate

Answer 1

The solution of acetic acid and sodium acetate is a buffer solution as it contains a weak acid and its salt, which can resist changes in pH.

Step-by-step explanation:

A buffer solution is one that contains appreciable amounts of a weak conjugate acid-base pair and resists changes in pH when strong acids or bases are added. In the options provided, the solution that can act as a buffer is a solution of acetic acid and sodium acetate. This combination consists of a weak acid and its salt, which is characteristic of a buffer. The combination of sulfuric acid and sodium sulfate or a solution of hydrochloric acid and sodium chloride or sulfate does not form a buffer as sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid are strong acids and do not pair with their salts to form buffers. Also, a solution of hydrochloric acid and sodium acetate would not form a buffer as hydrochloric acid is a strong acid despite sodium acetate being the salt of a weak acid.

Answer 2

a solution of acetic acid and sodium acetate

Step-by-step explanation:

A buffer solution is defined as a solution which resist a change in pH when small quantity of a strong acid or a strong base are added. A buffer solution is made up of mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base or a mixture of a weak base and its conjugate acid.

Acetic acid is the only option because it is a weak acid with a corresponding conjugate base, acetate. Unlike a solution of sulfuric acid and sodium sulfate in which the sulfuric acid is a strong acid which doesn’t qualify it to be a buffer solution. The remaining options have different acid compounds paired together which makes them invalid too.