Question

Medal and fan

Acetic acid is known to be a weak acid. What will happen to acidity of the solution when sodium acetate is added to acetic acid?

Wouldn't it become less acidic? Or am I totally off on that?

Answer 1

@abb0t @Abhisar @Abmon98 @sweetburger

Answer 2

You would have a buffer solution if you add more acetic acid it may not change the acidity by much.

Answer 3

So you're saying you think that the pH won't change?

Answer 4

@abb0t so it would affect its equilbrium only?

Answer 5

Yes, it would be less acidic than acetic acid by itself, but essentially, buffers resist change in pH so it would not be a very noticable difference, so long as the ratio of concentration os acetic acid and it's ion counterpart remain essentially the same.
You could try it out by plugging a few numbers using henderson hasselbach equation.

Answer 6

Well, I'm given both options of the pH not changing or it becoming less acidic (along with becoming more acidic as the other option), so are you for certain that it would act as a buffer and not just becoming a tiny bit less acidic?

Answer 7

Well, you're adding a base, so it would be a tiny bit less acidic, but not by much.
For instance, it may change from 4.74 to 4.75 or 4.73, which really isn't far from original 4.74 of acetic acid alone.

Answer 8

Are you adding the conjugate base? That would for certain tell if it was a buffer or not.

Answer 9

You're adding the conjugate base, yes.

Answer 10

Alright, then it would be in fact a buffer. Thanks so much(: