COMMON-ION EFFECT AND BUFFERS

V. VALDEZ1 and K. ZAMORA1

1

INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGY, COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY 1101, PHILIPPINES
DATE SUBMITTED: 4 DECEMBER 2012
DATE PERFORMED: 29 NOVEMBER 2012

The pH of a solution can be determined with the help of indicators. Different indicators such as
phenolphthalein and methyl orange are the common indicators used in pH determination. Other methods include the
use of pH meter and through calculations. The changes in pH values can be resisted with the aid of buffers. Buffers
are solutions that resist changes in pH and will be further discussed in the results and discussions part of this report
[1].
The purpose of this experiment is to understand and relate the concepts of common-ion effect and buffer
solutions, to distinguish buffer solutions from other types of solutions, to calculate the pH of a buffer, and to
determine if there are any effects of dilution on the pH of a buffered solution [1].
Here are the procedures followed in the experiment: A. 1) In four 50mL beakers, place 30mL 0.10M CH3COOH (solution 1), 15mL 0.20M CH 3COOH-15mL 0.20M NaCH3COOH (solution 2), 30mL 0.10M NH3 (solution 3)
and 15mL 0.20M NH3-15mL 0.20M NH4Cl (solution 4); 2) Keep the beakers covered with watch glass except when
adding a reagent or doing a measurement; 3) Add one drop of methyl orange indicator to solutions 1 and 2, and one
drop of phenolphthalein indicator to solutions 3 and 4, then record the colors of the solutions; 4) Measure the pH of
solutions 1-4 using a pH meter, then record the readings; B. 1) Divide each solution in part A into three equal
portions: to the first portion add three drops of 1.0M HCl solution and to the second portion add 1.0M NaOH solution;
2) Approximate the pH from the colors then record; 3) measure the pH using the pH meter and record the readings.
For the results of this experiment, please refer to the tables found in the attached data sheet. In table 1, you
can see the colors and the pH of the different solutions when added with indicators like methyl orange and
phenolphthalein. The differences in the color of the solutions are due to the differences in the effective pH ranges of
the indicators; for a certain pH value there is a corresponding color of the indicator [1][2]. The methyl orange indicator
has a pH range of 3.1-4.5, furthermore, if the pH value<3.1 the color would be red; if 3.1<pH value<4.5 the color
would be Salmon pink; if the pH value>4.5 the color would be yellow [1]. The addition of extra hydrogen ions would
cause a shift on the position of the equilibrium to the left which turns the indicator red; the addition of hydroxide ions
would cause the removal of the hydrogen ions from the equilibrium which shifts to the right to replace them turning
the indicator yellow [3]. The phenolphthalein indicator has a pH range of 8.3-10.0, furthermore, if the pH value<8.3
it would show a colorless solution; if 8.3<pH<10.0 the color would be very light pink; if the pH value>10.0 the
color would be red [1]. Adding extra hydrogen ions shifts the position of equilibrium to the left, and turns the indicator
colorless. Adding hydroxide ions removes the hydrogen ions from the equilibrium which tips to the right to replace
them, turning the indicator pink [3]. In table 2, you can see the changes in the pH values of the solutions after adding
1.0M HCl/1.0M NaOH. Although there are changes in the pH values of the solutions, these changes are minimal or
quite small. The minimal changes in the pH values of the solutions are due to the presence of buffers. A buffer is a
solution of a conjugate acid/base pair that resists changes in pH upon addition of small amounts of strong acid or
strong base [1][2]. In the experiment, there were three methods used in pH determination, one is through visual
indicators determining the pH value of a solution by the color of an indicator, second is through the use of a pH
meter and third is through calculations. The pH determination through visual indicators is somewhat less reliable and
less dependable because it can only give us the estimated value of the true and exact pH value of a solution [1]. The

use of pH meter in pH determination is more reliable than the use of visual indicators. This has the advantage that
one actually monitors the change in pH at the equivalence point rather than just observing the change in color of a
visual indicator. This eliminates any indicator blank error [4]. pH determination through calculations are also
considered reliable and accurate. The fact that pH is being calculated with the known concentrations and other
quantitative facts, it is more likely to come up with an accurate measure of pH value [2]. Among the three methods
used in this experiment, pH determination through the use of pH meter and through calculations are the most
accurate and more preferred to use. In every experiment performed, errors are inevitable. Some of the possible
sources of errors are: the alkaline error, when glass electrode becomes sensitive to alkali metal ions, it gives low
readings at pH values >9; the acid error, values registered by the glass electrode tend to be somewhat high when the
pH is less than 0.5; dehydration, causes erratic electrode performance; error in the pH of the standard buffer, any
inaccuracies in the preparation of the buffer used for calibration or any changes in its composition during storage
cause an error in subsequent pH measurements [2].
CONCLUSION
From the experiment conducted, the use of pH meter and calculations are more convenient and preferred to
use as a method of pH determination for they give more accurate pH measure. Moreover, the presence of buffers
enables the solutions to resist change in pH even when adding small amounts of strong acids or strong bases in
them. It is also necessary that the pH meters that will be used must be properly and well calibrated to avoid erratic
performance.
REFERENCES
[1] del Mundo, Florian R., et. al. Elementary Quantitative Inorganic Analysis Chem 26.1.2012.Quezon City: UP
Diliman. 18-19.
[2] Skoog, Douglas, Donald West, and F. James Holler. Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry 7th ed.1996.Florida:
Saunders College Publishing. 191, 200.
[3] Jim Clark (2002). Acid-Base Indicators. Retrieved from http://www.chemguide.co.uk/ on December 3, 2012
[4] Utah State University. Titration of an Hcl-H3po4 Mixture Using a pH Meter to Find Equivalence Points. Retrieved
from http://ion.chem.usu.edu/ on December 3, 2012