What is the reaction between acetic acid (CH3COOH) and sodium acetate (CH3COONa)?
Here we have a weak acid (acetic acid) and its conjugate base (acetate ion). Thus, we won’t have a true reaction between these two, as exchanging a hydrogen ion will only yield the acid and conjugate base back. However, this solution does have one very important property; it is a buffer. Thus it could absorb small amounts of strong acid or strong base without significantly changing the ratio between the acetic acid and acetate ion (therefore preventing wild pH swings).
