Van der Waals forces

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Van der Waals forces (pronunciation: /væn dər wɑːlz/) are a type of intermolecular force that occur between molecules. Named after Dutch scientist Johannes Diderik van der Waals, these forces play a significant role in various fields such as chemistry, physics, and biology.

Etymology

The term "Van der Waals forces" is named after Johannes Diderik van der Waals, a Dutch scientist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1910 for his work on the equation of state for gases and liquids.

Definition

Van der Waals forces are weak, short range electrostatic attractive forces between uncharged molecules, arising from the interaction of permanent or transient electric dipole moments.

Types of Van der Waals forces

There are three types of Van der Waals forces: dipole-dipole interaction, dipole-induced dipole interaction, and London dispersion force.

Dipole-Dipole Interaction

This type of Van der Waals force occurs between polar molecules. Polar molecules have a net dipole due to the presence of bond dipoles in the molecule.

Dipole-Induced Dipole Interaction

This type of Van der Waals force occurs when a polar molecule induces a dipole in an atom or in a nonpolar molecule by disturbing the arrangement of electrons in the nonpolar species.

London Dispersion Force

This type of Van der Waals force arises due to the momentary changes in electron density in a molecule, which creates a temporary dipole. London dispersion forces are present in all molecules, whether polar or nonpolar.

Importance of Van der Waals forces

Van der Waals forces are crucial in maintaining the structure and function of biological molecules such as DNA and proteins. They also play a significant role in the properties of gases and liquids, and in the condensation of gases into liquids.

See Also

External links

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