Question

question
in a buffer solution made of acetic acid and sodium acetate, any base that is added will react primarily with which of the following?
select the correct answer below:
hydronium
hydroxide
acetic acid
acetate

Explanation:

A buffer solution consists of a weak acid (acetic acid, \(CH_3COOH\)) and its conjugate base (acetate ion, \(CH_3COO^-\)). When a base (e.g., \(OH^-\)) is added to the buffer, the weak acid in the buffer reacts with the base. The reaction is \(CH_3COOH+OH^-\to CH_3COO^- + H_2O\). The hydronium (\(H_3O^+\)) is not present in significant amounts in a buffer of acetic acid and acetate (the buffer resists changes in \(H_3O^+\) concentration). Hydroxide is the base being added. Acetate (\(CH_3COO^-\)) is the conjugate base and does not react with the added base (it would react with an added acid). So the base reacts primarily with acetic acid.

Answer:

acetic acid