You are interested in using formic acid (pKa = 3.75) as a buffer for your biochemical Experiment.
a) Would it be most useful for creating a buffered solution at pH 2, 4 or 6? Explain.
b) You decide to use formic acid to make 1.5 L of 70.0 mM buffer at the pH you selected in part a.
Determine the concentrations of formic acid and its conjugate base that are required.
c) In making the buffer you described in part b, you find that you can buy 19 M formic acid from a chemical company.
i) What volume of 19 M formic acid should you start with?
ii) Would you make your desired buffer by adding strong acid (5.0 M HCl) or strong base (5.0 M NaOH)? Explain your answer.
iii) How many mL of either the strong acid or strong base would you need to add?