VAN DER WAALS' EQUATION Definition & Meaning

van der Waals' equation

or van der Waals e·qua·tion

[ , ih-kwey-shuhnwawlz; Dutch vahn der vahls ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Thermodynamics.

an equation of state relating the pressure, volume, and absolute temperature of a gas, taking into account the finite size of the molecules and the attractive force between them.

van der Waals equation

/ ˈvæn də ˌwɑːlz /

noun

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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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of van der Waals' equation¹

Named after J. D. van der Waals (1837–1923), Dutch scientist

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Example Sentences

The Statics of Fluids: Researches of Andrews, Cailletet, and others on liquid and gaseous states— Amagat's experiments—Van der Waals' equation—Discovery of corresponding states—Amagat's superposed diagrams—Exceptions to law—Statics of mixed fluids— Kamerlingh Onnes' researches—Critical Constants— Characteristic equation of fluid not yet ascertainable.

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