Summary 5

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Buffers function best when the pKa of the conjugate weak acid used is close to the desired working range of the buffer. This turns out to be the case when the concentrations of the conjugate acid and conjugate base are approximately equal. When the desired pH of a buffer solution is near the pKa of the conjugate acid being used the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation can be applied as a simple approximation of the solution pH, as we will see in the next section.