Which of the following is TRUE?
A) An effective buffer has a [base]/[acid] ratio in the range of 10 - 100.
B) A buffer is most resistant to pH change when [acid] = [conjugate base]
C) An effective buffer has very small absolute concentrations of acid and conjugate base.
D) A buffer cannot be destroyed by adding too much strong base. It can only be destroyed by adding too much strong acid.
E) None of the above is true.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A buffer is most resistant to pH change when [acid] = [conjugate base]. This is because when the concentrations of acid and conjugate base are equal, they can react and neutralize any added acid or base, thus maintaining the pH of the solution. The other options are not true: A) An effective buffer has a [base]/[acid] ratio in the range of 10 - 100 - this is just a guideline, not a strict rule. C) An effective buffer has very small absolute concentrations of acid and conjugate base - this is not necessarily true, as long as the concentrations are not too low or too high. D) A buffer cannot be destroyed by adding too much strong base. It can only be destroyed by adding too much strong acid - this is also not true, as adding too much strong base can shift the equilibrium towards the basic form, destroying the buffer.

Which of the Following Is TRUE