What effect does dilution have on a buffered solution's pH?

Dilution of a buffered solution generally has no significant effect on its pH because of the nature of buffers. A buffer typically consists of a weak acid and its conjugate base (or a weak base and its conjugate acid). These components work together to maintain a relatively stable pH when small amounts of acids or bases are added or when the solution is diluted.

When a buffered solution is diluted, both the weak acid and its conjugate base are diluted equally. Since the ratio of the concentrations of the weak acid to its conjugate base remains relatively constant during this process, the pH of the solution does not change significantly. This is a fundamental principle of buffer solutions, where their effectiveness hinges on the presence of both components in comparable concentrations.

While extreme dilution could potentially lead to changes in pH if the concentrations are reduced to a point where the buffer capacity is lost, under normal circumstances and with reasonable dilutions, the buffer maintains its capacity to resist changes in pH.

Other options suggest either an increase or a decrease in pH, which would imply that the buffer is no longer functioning effectively, or a change in temperature, which is unrelated to the process of dilution regarding the pH of the buffered solution. Thus, the assertion that dilution