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Use Le Chatelier'd principle to explain why the pH of a hydrogen phosphate buffer system remains constant when:
a) Small amounts of acid are added
b) small amounts of bases are added
Heres what I have:
a) If small amounts of acid (hydrogen ions) are added to the hydrogen phosphate buffer solution, the H3O+ concentration will increase. It increases in order to maintain equilibrium. The equilibrium will shift to the left to adjust the inequality of the concentration on the one side compared to the other. So, the H3O+ reacts with HPO42-. The added H3O+ is then consumed by the hydrogen phosphate buffer solution and there is little to no change in the pH.
b) If small amounts of base (hydroxide ions) are added to the hydrogen phosphate buffer solution they react with H2PO4- and produce HPO42-, which shifts the equilibrium to the right.
Any thoughts? Thanks:)