Buffer solutions have constant acidity and alkalinity because

Buffer solutions have constant acidity and alkalinity because
  1. these give unionised acid or base on reaction with added acid or alkali
  2. acids and alkalies in these solutions are shielded from attack by other ions
  3. they have large excess of $\mathrm{H}^{+}$or $\mathrm{OH}^{-}$ions
  4. they have fixed value of $\mathrm{pH}$

Solution

If small amount of an acid or alkali is added to a buffer solution, it converts them into unionised acid or base. Thus, its $\mathrm{pH}$ remains unaffected or in other words its acidity/alkalinity remains constant. e.g., $\begin{aligned} & \mathrm{H}_3 \mathrm{O}^{+}+A^{-} \rightleftharpoons \mathrm{H}_2 \mathrm{O}+\mathrm{H} A \\ & { }^{-} \mathrm{OH}+\mathrm{H} A \longrightarrow \mathrm{H}_2 \mathrm{O}+A^{-} \end{aligned}$ If acid is added, it reacts with $A^{-}$to form undissociated HA. Similarly, if base/alkali is added, $\mathrm{OH}^{-}$combines with $\mathrm{H} A$ to give $\mathrm{H}_2 \mathrm{O}$ and $A^{-}$and thus, maintains the acidity/ alkalinity of buffer solution.

Asked in: NEET 2012 (Screening)

Practice more Ionic Equilibria questions on Aicharya