Explanation:
Formation of formate buffer will be as follows.
Formate buffer = HCOOH + HCOONa
Molar mass of HCOOH [tex](M_{HCOOH}[/tex] = 46 g/mol
Molar mass of HCOONa [tex](M_{HCOONa}[/tex] = 68 g/mol
[tex]pK_{a}[/tex] of HCOOH = 3.75
As, [tex][HCOO^{-}][/tex] = [HCOOH] + [HCOONa]
= [HCOONa] (here, dissociation of HCOOH is negligible)
Its preparation will be as follows.
750 ml of 0.25 M sodium formate buffer
Since, there are many combinations of salt + acid and among those possibilities one of them is as follows.
HCOONa = 0.25 M in 400 ml solution
HCOOH = x molat in 350 ml solution
Therefore as, pH = [tex]pK_{a} + log \frac{N_{salt}V_{salt}}{N_{acid}V_{acid}}[/tex]
4 = 3.75 + [tex]log \frac{0.25 \times 400}{x \times 350}[/tex]
x = 0.16 M
Therefore, molarity of the formic acid acid is 0.16 M.
Now, calculate the weight of sodium formate as follows.
[tex]\frac{0.25 \times 400}{1000} \times 68[/tex]
= 6.8 g
And, number of milliliters of formic acid required is 350 ml.