Background: If only 1.0 mL of 0.10 M hydrochloric acid is added to 1.0 L of pure water the pH drops drastically from 7.0 to 4.0. This is a 1000-fold increase in the acidity of the solution. For many purposes, it is desirable to have a solution which is capable of resisting such large changes in pH when relatively small amounts of acid or base are added to them. Such a solution is called a buffer. A buffer is a solution of a weak acid or a base and its salt. Both components must be present for the system to act as a buffer to resist changes in pH. Commercial buffer solutions, which have a wide variety of pH values, can be obtained.

Situation: John is a scientist in a large pharmaceutical company. He devices many useful products using his knowledge of chemistry. Today, he has four solutions in front of him, solution A, solution B, solution C, and solution D. Solution A is a buffer, but solution B is not a buffer. Solution C is acidic, but solution D is not acidic. He needs to figure out what each solution does.

Question: Which solution has a weak acid or a base and its salt, solution A or solution B?
Answer: solution A

Situation: John is a scientist in a large pharmaceutical company. He devices many useful products using his knowledge of chemistry. Today, he has four solutions in front of him, solution A, solution B, solution C, and solution D. Solution A is a buffer, but solution B is not a buffer. Solution C is acidic, but solution D is not acidic. He needs to figure out what each solution does.

Question: Which solution may not have a weak acid or a base and its salt, solution A or solution B?
Answer: solution B

Situation: John is a scientist in a large pharmaceutical company. He devices many useful products using his knowledge of chemistry. Today, he has four solutions in front of him, solution A, solution B, solution C, and solution D. Solution A is a buffer, but solution B is not a buffer. Solution C is acidic, but solution D is not acidic. He needs to figure out what each solution does.

Question: Which solution would resist changes in pH, solution A or solution B?
Answer: solution A

Situation: John is a scientist in a large pharmaceutical company. He devices many useful products using his knowledge of chemistry. Today, he has four solutions in front of him, solution A, solution B, solution C, and solution D. Solution A is a buffer, but solution B is not a buffer. Solution C is acidic, but solution D is not acidic. He needs to figure out what each solution does.

Question: Which solution may assist in changes in pH, solution A or solution B?
Answer: solution B

Situation: John is a scientist in a large pharmaceutical company. He devices many useful products using his knowledge of chemistry. Today, he has four solutions in front of him, solution A, solution B, solution C, and solution D. Solution A is a buffer, but solution B is not a buffer. Solution C is acidic, but solution D is not acidic. He needs to figure out what each solution does.

Question: Would solution A resist or assist in changes in pH?
Answer: resist

Situation: John is a scientist in a large pharmaceutical company. He devices many useful products using his knowledge of chemistry. Today, he has four solutions in front of him, solution A, solution B, solution C, and solution D. Solution A is a buffer, but solution B is not a buffer. Solution C is acidic, but solution D is not acidic. He needs to figure out what each solution does.

Question: Would solution B resist or assist in changes in pH?
Answer: assist

Situation: John is a scientist in a large pharmaceutical company. He devices many useful products using his knowledge of chemistry. Today, he has four solutions in front of him, solution A, solution B, solution C, and solution D. Solution A is a buffer, but solution B is not a buffer. Solution C is acidic, but solution D is not acidic. He needs to figure out what each solution does.

Question: Which solution would decrease the pH of pure water, solution C or solution D?
Answer: solution C

Situation: John is a scientist in a large pharmaceutical company. He devices many useful products using his knowledge of chemistry. Today, he has four solutions in front of him, solution A, solution B, solution C, and solution D. Solution A is a buffer, but solution B is not a buffer. Solution C is acidic, but solution D is not acidic. He needs to figure out what each solution does.

Question: Which solution would not decrease the pH of pure water, solution C or solution solution D?
Answer: solution D

Situation: John is a scientist in a large pharmaceutical company. He devices many useful products using his knowledge of chemistry. Today, he has four solutions in front of him, solution A, solution B, solution C, and solution D. Solution A is a buffer, but solution B is not a buffer. Solution C is acidic, but solution D is not acidic. He needs to figure out what each solution does.

Question: Would solution C increase or decrease the pH of pure water?
Answer: decrease

Situation: John is a scientist in a large pharmaceutical company. He devices many useful products using his knowledge of chemistry. Today, he has four solutions in front of him, solution A, solution B, solution C, and solution D. Solution A is a buffer, but solution B is not a buffer. Solution C is acidic, but solution D is not acidic. He needs to figure out what each solution does.

Question: Would solution D likely increase or decrease the pH of pure water?
Answer: likely increase