If I add 2ml of .1M of NaOH to a buffer system containing sodium acetate and acetic acid, what will happen to the acetate concentration? Will it increase or decrease?
To determine what will happen to the acetate concentration when you add NaOH to a buffer system containing sodium acetate and acetic acid, we need to consider the chemical reaction that occurs between NaOH and acetic acid.
NaOH reacts with acetic acid (CH3COOH) to form water (H2O) and sodium acetate (CH3COONa):
CH3COOH + NaOH -> CH3COONa + H2O
Since you are adding NaOH to the buffer system, the NaOH will react with the acetic acid present, shifting the equilibrium of the reaction towards the products. This will result in the formation of more sodium acetate and water, which means the concentration of the acetate ion (CH3COO-) will increase.
Therefore, when you add 2ml of 0.1M NaOH to the buffer system, the acetate concentration will increase.