⚖️Buffer vs Indicator🌈
Buffers and indicators both relate to pH but do opposite jobs: one stabilizes pH, the other reveals it.
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⚖️Buffer
- ✓Resists changes in pH
- ✓Made of a weak acid and its conjugate base
- ✓Keeps pH stable when acid or base is added
- ✓Vital in blood and biological systems
- ✓Example: acetic acid with sodium acetate
🌈Indicator
- ✓Signals the pH of a solution
- ✓Changes color over a pH range
- ✓Often a weak acid or base itself
- ✓Used to find titration endpoints
- ✓Examples: litmus, phenolphthalein
Verdict
A buffer holds pH steady against added acid or base, while an indicator changes color to reveal pH. One stabilizes, the other reports.
Frequently asked
What is a buffer made of?+
Typically a weak acid and its conjugate base, or a weak base and its conjugate acid.
Why use an indicator in titration?+
Its color change marks the endpoint, showing when neutralization is complete.
Does an indicator change pH?+
No. An indicator only reveals pH; it does not stabilize or significantly alter it.
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