English Explanatory Dictionary

van der Waals force

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The relatively weak attraction between neutral atoms and molecules arising from polarization induced in each particle by the presence of other particles.

Word forms

van der Waals force van der Waals forces

Etymology

From van der Waals + force. From Dutch van der Waals. from Johannes Diderik van der Waals, who first described them.

Related words

van der Waals strain
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