AP Chemistry Flashcards: Buffer Capacity
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
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A buffer solution has a higher concentration of conjugate acid than conjugate base. Will it be more effective at neutralizing an added acid or an added base?
It will have a greater capacity for neutralizing an added base.
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A buffer solution has a higher concentration of conjugate acid than conjugate base. Will it be more effective at neutralizing an added acid or an added base?
It will have a greater capacity for neutralizing an added base.
What is the relationship between buffer capacity and the relative concentrations of the conjugate acid and base?
A buffer with more conjugate acid has a greater capacity for added base, while a buffer with more conjugate base has a greater capacity for added acid.
A chemist needs a buffer that is most effective at resisting pH changes from a strong base. How should the concentrations of the buffer components be set?
The buffer should be made with a greater concentration of the conjugate acid than the conjugate base.
Capacity for Added Base
A buffer's capacity for added base is greater when the concentration of its conjugate acid component is higher than its conjugate base component.
Buffer A is 0.1M HA / 0.1M A-. Buffer B is 1.0M HA / 1.0M A-. Which buffer has a greater capacity?
Buffer B has a greater capacity because its components are at a higher concentration.
How can the overall capacity of a buffer be increased without altering its pH?
The capacity can be increased by increasing the concentrations of both the conjugate acid and conjugate base components while keeping their ratio constant.
How does increasing the concentration of buffer components (while maintaining their ratio) affect the buffer's properties?
It increases the buffer's capacity to neutralize added acid or base but does not change its pH.
Does increasing the concentration of buffer components change the pH of the solution?
No, increasing the concentration of buffer components while maintaining their ratio does not change the solution's pH.
Buffer Capacity
A measure of a buffer's ability to neutralize added acid or base. Increasing the concentration of buffer components increases the buffer's capacity.
If a buffer is designed to have a high capacity for neutralizing added acid, what must be true about its composition?
The buffer must contain more conjugate base than conjugate acid.