How will the pH change if basic solution is added to mixture of acid and a buffer? (Will pH change significantlyand in what direction, higher or lower?)

Question

This is a physiological chemistry question

Answer 1

A buffer is made up of (in this case) a weak acid, and the conjugate base of that acid. When a basic solution is added, it will react with the weak acid to produce the salt (conjugate base) and water. This will result is a slight (probably not significant, depending on how much base you add) INCREASE in pH. That is, it will be slightly more basic.

Since this is a physiology chemistry question, we can assume that amount of base added is small, and so the pH will become higher, but no significantly.