Question

An acetic acid buffer solution is required to have a pH of 5.27. You have a solution that contains 0.01 mol of acetic acid. How many moles of sodium acetate will you need to add to the solution? The pKa of acetic acid is 4.74. Show all calculations in your answer.

Answer 1

Technically, the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation requires concentrations in mols/L; however, since the L will cancel we can use mols only as a short cut.
pH = pKa + log (base)/(acid)
YOu have pH and pKa, base is the unknown (in mols) and plug in 0.01 mol for acid.
Show your work if you get stuck.