Science
What is A buffer solution?
A buffer solution is a liquid that resists changes in acidity (pH) when you add acid or base. It contains a balanced pair of chemicals that soak up extra acid or base, keeping the pH steady — crucial for blood and many reactions.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains a buffer solution.
Key things to understand
- 1It keeps pH nearly constant despite added acid or base.
- 2It works using a weak acid and its partner base together.
- 3When acid is added, the base neutralizes it, and vice versa.
- 4Your blood is buffered to stay near pH 7.4.
- 5Buffers are vital in biology, medicine, and lab chemistry.
Frequently asked questions
- How does a buffer resist pH change?
- It holds a reserve of both a weak acid and its base; whichever is added — acid or base — gets neutralized by the matching partner, keeping pH steady.
- Why is blood a buffer?
- Body chemistry only works in a narrow pH range, so blood's buffers hold it near 7.4 even as acids from metabolism enter.
- What happens if a buffer is overwhelmed?
- Once its reserves are used up, adding more acid or base swings the pH sharply, just like an unbuffered solution.