Question

Calculate the pH of a buffer solution obtained by dissolving 18.0 g of KH2PO4(s) and 35.0 g of Na2HPO4(s) in water and then diluting to 1.00 L.

Answer 1

Answer:

pH of the buffer is 7.48

Explanation:

The H₂PO₄⁻/HPO₄²⁻ buffer has a pKa of 7.21. You can find pH of this buffer following H-H equation:

pH = pKa + log [A⁻] / [HA]

pH = 7.21 + log [HPO₄²⁻] / [ H₂PO₄⁻]

Where [] represents molarity of each specie of the buffer and, as volume is 1.00L, also represents its moles.

Thus, to find pH of the buffer we need to calculate moles of each specie, thus

Moles of 18.0g of KH₂PO₄(Molar mass: 136.086g/mol) = moles of H₂PO₄⁻ are:

18.0g KH₂PO₄ ₓ (1mol / 136.086g) = 0.132 moles of KH₂PO₄= H₂PO₄⁻

Moles of 35.0g of Na₂HPO₄(Molar mass: 141.96g/mol) = moles of HPO₄²⁻ are:

35.0g Na₂HPO₄ ₓ (1mol / 141.96g) = 0.2465 moles of Na₂HPO₄= HPO₄²⁻

Replacing in H-H equation:

pH = 7.21 + log [HPO₄²⁻] / [ H₂PO₄⁻]

pH = 7.21 + log [0.2465] / [0.132]

pH = 7.48

pH of the buffer is 7.48