Sorry to disappoint y’all. This is actually not so dumb. Chemically she makes a buffer solution.
How a Buffer Solution Works: Example with Baking Soda and Citric Acid
A buffer solution is a system that resists changes in pH when small amounts of acids or bases are added. Buffers are essential in chemistry and biology because many processes require a stable pH.
How Buffer Solutions Work
A buffer usually consists of a weak acid and its corresponding conjugate base (or a weak base and its conjugate acid). When an acidic or basic substance is introduced, the buffer reacts to neutralize the added ions, thus stabilizing the pH.
When an acid (H⁺) is added, the buffer’s base component reacts with it, “soaking up” the excess H⁺ ions.
When a base (OH⁻) is added, the acid part of the buffer reacts with it, neutralizing the excess OH⁻ ions.
The ability of a buffer to do this depends on the presence of both a weak acid and its conjugate base in appreciable amounts.
Buffer Example: Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) and Citric Acid
Ingredients Involved
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO₃): A weak base that can act as a proton acceptor.
Citric acid (C₆H₈O₇): A weak acid, commonly found in citrus fruits.
When these two substances are dissolved in water, they interact according to the following reaction:
This reaction creates a mixture containing both citric acid (weak acid) and its conjugate base (citrate ion).
How This Buffer System Functions
If an acid is added to the solution (increasing H⁺), the citrate ion (Citrat-Anion) from the reaction will bind to the excess H⁺, lessening the pH shift.
If a base is added (increasing OH⁻), the leftover citric acid will release H⁺, which neutralizes the OH⁻, keeping the pH stable.
Key Point:
This buffer is only effective within a certain pH range, which in this case is close to the pKa value of citric acid (around 3-7 depending on which proton is being lost, as citric acid is a triprotic acid).
Summary Table
Component
Role
Action if acid is added
Action if base is added
Citric acid (C₆H₈O₇)
Weak acid
Conjugate base absorbs H⁺
Releases more H⁺ to neutralize OH⁻
Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃)
Weak base (forms buffer)
Provides conjugate base (citrate ion)
Provides weak acid (citric acid)
This mixture resists pH changes thanks to the reversible interplay between the weak acid (citric acid) and its conjugate base (citrate ion), demonstrating the core principle of buffer solutions.
Alkaline water plus citric acid does not make a buffer solution. And even if it did, it has absolutely no impact on your body when drinking it regardless.
If I wanted an AI answer I could’ve used the shitty website myself, why do you think anybody would be interested in your poorly formatted AI output?
Stomach acid is much more acidic for this buffer to function and even then you shouldn’t need anything of this sort, well, unless your body fails to regulate it’s own secretions (in that case, go to a doctor for gods sake!) At most this would provide you with some nutrients and minerals.
To be fair the top commenter is just explaining what a buffer solution is, and why “adding lemon to alkaline water” isn’t just creating a neutral pH saltwater. They aren’t justifying it’s use as a healthy tonic or anything. I learned something from the comment.
The point isn’t the apparent health benefits of applying the worlds mildest buffer to a ph 2 solution, it’s that it’s the sales equivalent of dehydrationmonoxide.
It’s not dumb in the sense that water that is not alkaline is not the same as water that is alkaline with some added acid.
In Eastern Europe the soft drink created by mixing sodium bicarbonate into water and then adding a tea spoon of lemon juice or vinegar to it was an oft used refreshment before the 80s.
Sorry to disappoint y’all. This is actually not so dumb. Chemically she makes a buffer solution.
How a Buffer Solution Works: Example with Baking Soda and Citric Acid
A buffer solution is a system that resists changes in pH when small amounts of acids or bases are added. Buffers are essential in chemistry and biology because many processes require a stable pH.
How Buffer Solutions Work
A buffer usually consists of a weak acid and its corresponding conjugate base (or a weak base and its conjugate acid). When an acidic or basic substance is introduced, the buffer reacts to neutralize the added ions, thus stabilizing the pH.
The ability of a buffer to do this depends on the presence of both a weak acid and its conjugate base in appreciable amounts.
Buffer Example: Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) and Citric Acid
Ingredients Involved
When these two substances are dissolved in water, they interact according to the following reaction:
$$ \text{C}_6\text{H}_8\text{O}_7 + \text{NaHCO}_3 \rightarrow \text{C}_6\text{H}_7\text{O}_7^- + \text{Na}^+ + \text{H}_2\text{O} + \text{CO}_2\uparrow $$
This reaction creates a mixture containing both citric acid (weak acid) and its conjugate base (citrate ion).
How This Buffer System Functions
Key Point:
This buffer is only effective within a certain pH range, which in this case is close to the pKa value of citric acid (around 3-7 depending on which proton is being lost, as citric acid is a triprotic acid).
Summary Table
This mixture resists pH changes thanks to the reversible interplay between the weak acid (citric acid) and its conjugate base (citrate ion), demonstrating the core principle of buffer solutions.
Thanks for the ChatGPT paste
Alkaline water plus citric acid does not make a buffer solution. And even if it did, it has absolutely no impact on your body when drinking it regardless.
If I wanted an AI answer I could’ve used the shitty website myself, why do you think anybody would be interested in your poorly formatted AI output?
Stomach acid is much more acidic for this buffer to function and even then you shouldn’t need anything of this sort, well, unless your body fails to regulate it’s own secretions (in that case, go to a doctor for gods sake!) At most this would provide you with some nutrients and minerals.
To be fair the top commenter is just explaining what a buffer solution is, and why “adding lemon to alkaline water” isn’t just creating a neutral pH saltwater. They aren’t justifying it’s use as a healthy tonic or anything. I learned something from the comment.
yeah yeah so was I! I was just adding another bit of information.
The point isn’t the apparent health benefits of applying the worlds mildest buffer to a ph 2 solution, it’s that it’s the sales equivalent of dehydrationmonoxide.
Thank you Gwenyth
Do these kinds of buffers have health benefits? Why is it good to drink water that has buffering capacity?
I have no idea. I am a chemical engineer, this question has to be answered by a biologist or physician.
Then how is it not dumb?
Because having salt of an acid out of a citric fruit in water, makes it tasty.
I just use some black salt, though. Much cheaper.
It’s not dumb in the sense that water that is not alkaline is not the same as water that is alkaline with some added acid.
In Eastern Europe the soft drink created by mixing sodium bicarbonate into water and then adding a tea spoon of lemon juice or vinegar to it was an oft used refreshment before the 80s.
Send me a message too please about the health benefits
All of that fancy chemistry goes out the window because your stomach is full of a strong acid which completely obliterates the buffer solution.
Mixing sodium bicarbonate into water, even with just a teaspoon of acid like vinegar or lemon juice added, is still a good antacid.