buffer

(noun)

a solution composed of a weak acid and its conjugate base that can be used to stabilize the pH of a solution

Related Terms

Examples of buffer in the following topics:

  • pH, Buffers, Acids, and Bases

    • Acids dissociate into H+ and lower pH, while bases dissociate into OH- and raise pH; buffers can absorb these excess ions to maintain pH.
    • Buffers are the key.
    • Without this buffer system, the body's pH would fluctuate enough to jeopardize survival.
    • Antacids, which combat excess stomach acid, are another example of buffers.
    • Explain the composition of buffer solutions and how they maintain a steady pH

  • Transport of Carbon Dioxide in the Blood

    • Dissolution, hemoglobin binding, and the bicarbonate buffer system are ways in which carbon dioxide is transported throughout the body.
    • Third, the majority of carbon dioxide molecules (85 percent) are carried as part of the bicarbonate buffer system.
    • The benefit of the bicarbonate buffer system is that carbon dioxide is "soaked up" into the blood with little change to the pH of the system.
    • The presence of this bicarbonate buffer system also allows for people to travel and live at high altitudes.
    • When the partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide change at high altitudes, the bicarbonate buffer system adjusts to regulate carbon dioxide while maintaining the correct pH in the body.

  • Plasma and Serum

    • Albumin, which constitutes about one-half of the blood serum protein, transports hormones and fatty acids, buffers pH, and maintains osmotic pressures.

  • Glia

    • Glia guide developing neurons to their destinations, buffer ions and chemicals that would otherwise harm neurons, and provide myelin sheaths around axons.

  • Basic Principles of Gas Exchange

    • These diffuse into plasma, where H+ are buffered by hemoglobin.

  • Membrane Fluidity

    • Thus, cholesterol functions as a buffer, preventing lower temperatures from inhibiting fluidity and preventing higher temperatures from increasing fluidity too much.

  • Basic Techniques to Manipulate Genetic Material (DNA and RNA)

    • Cells are broken using a lysis buffer (a solution that is mostly a detergent); lysis means "to split."
    • Similar to DNA, RNA extraction involves the use of various buffers and enzymes to inactivate macromolecules and preserve the RNA.

  • Digestive System: Mouth and Stomach

    • Saliva contains mucus that moistens food and buffers the pH of the food.

  • Digestive System: Small and Large Intestines

    • The alkaline solution is rich in bicarbonate that neutralizes the acidity of chyme and acts as a buffer.

  • Genetic Drift

    • Large populations, on the other hand, are buffered against the effects of chance.