Buffering Agent
<p>A <b >buffering agent</b> is a weak acid or base used to maintain the acidity (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PH" title="PH" >pH</a>) of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solution" title="Solution" >solution</a> near a chosen value after the addition of another acid or base. That is, the function of a buffering agent is to prevent a rapid change in pH when acids or bases are added to the solution. Buffering agents have variable properties—some are more soluble than others; some are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acidic" title="Acidic" class="mw-redirect" >acidic</a> while others are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_(chemistry)" title="Basic (chemistry)" class="mw-redirect" >basic</a>. As pH managers, they are important in many <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical" title="Chemical" class="mw-redirect" >chemical</a> applications, including<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture" title="Agriculture" >agriculture</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_processing" title="Food processing" >food processing</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochemistry" title="Biochemistry" >biochemistry</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicine" title="Medicine" >medicine</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography" title="Photography" >photography</a>.</p>