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  4. A physician wishes to prepare a buffer solution at pH= 3.58 that efficiently resist changes in pH yet contains only small concentration of the buffering agents. Which one of the following weak acid together with its sodium salt would be best to use?

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Q. A physician wishes to prepare a buffer solution at $pH= 3.58$ that efficiently resist changes in $pH$ yet contains only small concentration of the buffering agents.
Which one of the following weak acid together with its sodium salt would be best to use?

AIPMTAIPMT 1997Equilibrium

Solution:

By the use of Henderson's equation
$pH=p K_{a}+\log _{10} \frac{[\text { salt }]}{[\text{acid]}}$
When, $[$ salt $]=[$ acid $]$
$\therefore p H=p K_{a} $
$\because p K_{a}=3.58,$ thus at this state
$p H=3.58$
So, acetoacetic acid $\left(p K_{a}=3.58\right)$ is best to use