The following pictures represent solutions that contain one or more of the compounds H2A, NaHA, and Na2A, where H2A is a weak diprotic acid. (Na+ ions and solvent water molecules have been omitted for clarity.)

(a) Which of the solutions are buffer solutions?

Video transcript

hi everyone for this problem. It reads the following diagram represents four different solutions that may contain any of these four species in varying concentrations. potassium ions are not shown for clarity identify which of these solutions is a buffer. So we want to identify which is a buffer. So let's go ahead and define what a buffer is. So a buffer is a solution of a weak acid and its conjugate base. Okay, so we just have to find out which solution has that. So let's go ahead and take a look at what we have for solution a this solution only contains H2 a molecules and it's undisc created form. So this is not a buffer solution B. This solution contains H two A which is a weak acid and its conjugate base H A. Okay, so this solution is a buffer. So let's just write out what we have. So for four solution A we only had the weak acid. Okay. And it's in it's un disassociated form for solution B. We have the weak acid plus its conjugate base. Okay, so this is a buffer for solutions. See this solution only contains the conjugate base. Okay, so this is not a buffer and solution D this solution only contains the A two minus ions which is a conjugate base of H A minus and this is not a buffer. So our correct answer for this problem is going to be B. B is the diagram that shows the buffer. Okay, so that is it for this problem? I hope this was helpful