16.3 : Buffer Effectiveness Buffer effectiveness depends on two factors: 1. The [base conc.] / [acid conc.] ratio should be within the range of 0.10 to 102. A buffer with a greater amount of acid and conjugate base is more resistant to pH changes and is more effective. Dilution makes buffers less effective. This is because diluting a solution diminishes the concentration of acid and base, and decreases their ability to neutralize. BUFFER RANGE: The pH of an effective buffer should be within +or – 1 of the pKapH= pKa -1 *This is the lowest pH for an effective bufferpH= pKa +1 *This is the highest pH for an effective bufferBUFFER CAPACITY: the amount of acid or base that can be added to a buffer with out destroying it’s ability to maintain a constant
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