van der Waals equation (v n d r wôlz , wälz)n. An equation of state that relates the pressure, volume, and absolute temperature of a gas taking into account the finite size of molecules, and their intermolecular attraction, having the form RT = (P + av-2)(v - b), where R is the gas constant, T is the absolute temperature, P is the pressure, v is the volume, and a and b are constants. [After Johannes Diderik van der Waals (1837-1923), Dutch physicist.] |
van der Waals equation [ˈvæn də ˌwɑːlz]
n
(Physics / General Physics) an equation of state for a non-ideal gas that takes account of intermolecular forces and the volume occupied by the molecules of the gas
| van der Waals equation An equation that relates the pressure, volume, and absolute temperature of a gas taking into account the finite size of molecules, and their intermolecular attraction, having the form RT = (P + av-2)(v - b), where R is the gas constant, T is the absolute temperature, P is the pressure, v is the volume of fluid per molecule, a is a measure of the attraction of the molecules for each other (due to van der Waals forces), and b is the volume occupied by a single molecule. The equation accurately captures phase transitions between liquid and gas phases of substances. See also ideal gas law. |
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