Question

How do you write the chemical equation for the acetate buffer equilibrium [same for both buffers]?

Answer 1

First we should know about buffer and their categories like acidic and basic buffers too. We have to deal with an acidic buffer as it is the one mentioned in the question since the given buffer is acetate. Actually, one major point we have to keep in mind is acidic buffer is the one which contains equal concentrations of weak acid and that of its conjugate base. Also those acidic buffers which are generally made out from the conjugate base is from one of the salts of its respective weak acid.

Complete step-by-step answer:
As we know the fact that an acidic buffer is made out of the same concentration of weak acid and its conjugate base . So the same principle can be used to determine acetate buffer here which is an acidic buffer.
Thus, we can say an acetate buffer contains equal concentration of acetic acid and that of acetate ion.
Here we need to remind that acetate ion or salt formed is the conjugate base formed by the reaction of weak acid which is $C{H_3}COOH$and that of strong base $NaOH$ .

Actually they exist in a chemical equilibrium with each other.Before writing the equilibrium reaction , we have to first consider the isolated acetate buffer here which is as follows, $C{H_3}COOH + C{H_3}COONa$

The formation of the above buffer reaction is also a chemical reaction as related to the question , which is the actual acidic buffer here.

But here we need to write the equilibrium chemical equation of this acetate buffer. Hence it can be written as,
$C{H_3}COOH + {H_2}O \rightleftharpoons C{H_3}CO{O^ - } + {H_3}{O^ + }$

Note: We should have a clear idea about acidic buffer and its weak acid part as well as its conjugate base part. Then only we can write equilibrium reactions by considering it. We also need to remind that there will be equal concentration of weak acid and that of its salt to exist in a chemical equilibrium. Actually here the main thing we have to notice is that in the equilibrium state acid is dissociated into conjugate base and hydronium ion as we mentioned in the last part of above answer. Acidic buffer will have a $pH$value below $7$. Acidic buffer solution also plays a wide application along with chemical application.