van der Waals forces: see intermolecular forces intermolecular forces, forces that are exerted by molecules on each other and that, in general, affect the macroscopic properties of the material of which the molecules are a part. Such forces may be either attractive or repulsive in nature.
..... Click the link for more information. .

van der Waals forces

Relatively weak electrical forces that attract neutral (uncharged) molecules to each other in gases, liquefied and solidified gases, and almost all organic liquids and solids. Solids held together by van der Waals forces typically have lower melting points and are softer than those held together by ionic, covalent, or metallic bonds (see bonding). The forces arise because neutral molecules, though uncharged, are usually electric dipoles, which have a tendency to align with each other and to induce further polarization in neighbouring molecules, resulting in a net attractive force. They are somewhat weaker than the forces involved in hydrogen bonding. See also Johannes D. van der Waals.

Mentioned in	?		References in periodicals archive	?		Encyclopedia browser	?		Full browser	?
No references found			Van der Waals forces are rather weak compared to covalent bonds. FE modelling of multi-walled carbon nanotubes/Mitmeseinalise susiniku ... by Brcic, Marino; Canadija, Marko; Brnic, Josip; Lanc, Domagoj; Krscanski, Sanjin; Vukelic, Goran / Estonian Journal of Engineering Both robots made by Sitti use sticky elastomers, though not in the form of hairs, to grip surfaces using van der Waals forces. Now, gecko-inspired supersticky robots that scale walls, ceilings by Asian News International For deagglomeration, it is necessary that the van der Waals forces are smaller than the dispersion force. Estimation of stresses required for exfoliation of clay particles in ... by Borse, Nitin K.; Kamal, Musa R. / Polymer Engineering and Science			Van Cortlandt, Stephen van Crevald-von Gierke's disease Van Curler, Arent Van Damme State Park Van de Graaff accelerator Van de Graaff generator Van de Graaff, Robert J Van de Graaff, Robert J. Van de Graaff, Robert Jemison Van de Velde Van Deemter rate theory Van den Bergh reaction Van der Donck, Adrien Van der Goes, Hugo Van der Meer, Jan van der Meer, Simon Van der Pol oscillator Van der Post Van der Rohe, Ludwig Mies van der Waals van der Waals adsorption van der Waals attraction van der Waals covolume Van Der Waals Equation van der Waals force van der Waals forces van der Waals molecule van der Waals radius van der Waals structure van der Waals surface tension formula van der Waals, Johannes Diderik van der Waals, Johannes Diederik van der Waerden number van der Waerden's theorem van der Weyden Van der Weyden, Roger Van Der Zee, James Van Deren, Coke Van Devanter, Willis Van Diemen Gulf Van Diemen's Land Van Dine, S. S. Van Doren, Carl Van Doren, Carl (Clinton) Van Doren, Carl and Mark Van Doren, Irita Van Doren, Mark Van Dorn sampler Van Dorn, Earl Van Druten, John William Van Duyn, Mona Jane			van der Waal's forces van der Waals van der Waals van der Waals van der Waals adsorption van der Waals attraction Van der Waals bond Van der Waals bond Van der Waals bond Van der Waals bonding Van der Waals bonding Van der Waals bonding Van der Waals broadening Van der Waals broadening van der Waals covolume van der Waals equation van der Waals equation Van der Waals equation of state Van der Waals equation of state van der Waals f van der Waals f van der Waals f van der Waals f Van der Waals f's Van der Waals f's Van der Waals f's Van der Waals f's van der Waals force van der Waals force van der Waals force van der Waals forces Van der waals gas Van der waals gas Van der waals interaction Van der waals interaction Van der waals interaction Van der Waals interactions Van der Waals interactions Van der Waals interactions van der Waals Johannes Diderik Van der Waals law Van der Waals law Van der Waals molecule Van der Waals molecules Van der Waals potential Van der Waals potential Van der Waals potential Van der Waals profile Van der Waals profile Van der Waals radius Van der Waals radius Van der Waals sphere van der Waals structure Van der Waals Surface van der Waals surface tension formula Van der Waals volume Van der Waals volume Van der Waals' force Van der Waals' force Van der Waals' force Van der Waals' forces