Is 10.0 mL of 0.10 M NH4Cl added to 10.0 mL of 0.10 M HCl a basic buffer?
I think Yes. Right?
To have an effective buffer, one must have a weak acid and a salt of the weak acid OR a weak base and a salt of the weak base. What is the weak acid? What is the salt of the weak acid?
To determine if the mixture of NH4Cl and HCl acts as a basic buffer, we need to consider the reaction that occurs when these two chemicals are mixed together. NH4Cl is the salt of a weak base (NH3) and a strong acid (HCl). When NH4Cl is dissolved in water, it undergoes hydrolysis, resulting in the formation of NH3 and H3O+ ions.
NH4Cl + H2O <-> NH3 + H3O+
On the other hand, HCl is a strong acid and completely dissociates in water, forming H+ ions.
HCl -> H+ + Cl-
Now, let's analyze the reaction between NH3 (produced by NH4Cl) and H+ (from HCl).
NH3 + H+ <-> NH4+
Since NH3 is a weak base, it can accept H+ ions from the HCl solution, forming NH4+. This reaction helps to neutralize the added H+ ions, maintaining the pH of the solution relatively stable.
So, based on the reaction between NH4Cl and HCl, it can be concluded that the resulting mixture can act as a basic buffer because the weak base NH3 present in NH4Cl can accept H+ ions, preventing drastic changes in pH when an acid (HCl) is added.
Therefore, your statement is incorrect. The mixture of 10.0 mL of 0.10 M NH4Cl and 10.0 mL of 0.10 M HCl forms an acidic buffer, not a basic buffer.