Question

PLEASE ANSWER ALL, THEY ARE ALL CONNECTED THANKS

2. What does the term pH mean? How do acids and bases define the pH of a given solution? How do buffers work?

Answer 1

pH is indicator that measure of concentration of H+ ions inside the solution. It measures acidity or basicity of the solution.

When H+ concentration is high inside the solution the pH of the solution will be low and the solution will be acidic.

Similarly when the H+ concentration of the solution is low then the pH of the solution is said be high and the solution will be basic.

Buffers work by neutralising the change in H+ or OH- concentration of the solution by providing counter ions.

If pH is going to change towards acidic, buffer neutralise it by providing OH-. Similarly if pH is going to change towards basic, buffer makes it neutral by providing H+.