13. What is a buffer?
A buffer is either a weak acid or weak base which releases or absorbs either hydrogen ions (H+) or hydroxyl ions (-OH). This control of ions helps to stabilize the pH of the solution. The role of a buffer is to limit the amount of pH change. This is very important to a cell which is sensitive to changes in pH. As chemical processes occur in the cell, H+ (hydrogen ions) or -OH (hydroxyl ions) are released which would make the cell more acidic or basic, however, the buffer grabs up these excess ions (or releases them) and stabilizes the cell's chemical environment.