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Home Q & A Board Biology-Related Homework Help Cell Biology
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trishasales714 trishasales714
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6 years ago
What does this mean: Biological buffers are maximized when pH=pka.

My interpretation: the buffer stops working (stops resisting ph changes) when the ph of the solution is equal to the pka of the weak acid in the buffer?

Is this correct?
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#1
6 years ago
If A + H is in equilibrium with AH, when pH = pKa it means [AH]=[A]
In an acid base titration there is a big change of pH when adding H+ when [AH]=[A]
So I would agree with you that there is no buffer effect when pH = pKa. However it seems to me that when ones say that a buffer is maximized it is that the buffer effect is the best, so that there is no variation of pH when acid or base is added.
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