Question

Buffer solutions that maintain certain levels of pH or acidity are widely used in biochemical experiments. One common buffer system uses sodium dihydrogenphosphate and sodium monohydrogenphosphate. What are the formulas of these two compounds

Answer 1

Answer:

Sodium dihydrogenphosphate = NaH₂PO₄

Sodium monohydrogenphosphate = Na₂HPO₄

Explanation:

A buffer solution is a solution is a solution that resists changes to its oH when a little quantity of strong acid or strong base is added to it.

They are solutions of weak acids or weak bases and their salts known as conjugate base or conjugate acids respectively for the weak acids and weak bases.

For example, a solution of the weak acid ethanoic acid and its salt or conjugate base, sodium ethanoate serves as a buffer solution.

In biochemical experiments, where the pH of the reaction medium is kept as constant and as close as possible to that of the internal environment, buffer solutions are widely used. One of the commonly used buffers is the phosphate buffer. The phosphate buffer consists of the acid salts sodium dihydrogenphosphate and sodium monohydrogenphosphate. Sodium dihydrogenphosphate serves as the weak acid while sodium monohydrogenphosphate serves as the conjugate base.

The formulas of these two compounds are given below:

Sodium dihydrogenphosphate = NaH₂PO₄

Sodium monohydrogenphosphate = Na₂HPO₄