van der waals' forces
C1/C2 (Specialist Technical Vocabulary)Academic, Scientific, Technical (Highly Formal)
Definition
Meaning
Weak, short-range intermolecular attractive forces that exist between molecules or atoms.
These forces arise from temporary dipoles induced by fluctuations in electron distribution. They are responsible for phenomena such as the condensation of gases into liquids, adsorption, and the physical properties of non-polar substances.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Always plural; typically preceded by the definite article 'the'. Named after the Dutch physicist Johannes Diderik van der Waals.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling and apostrophe use. UK often prefers 'van der Waals forces' without an apostrophe. US more commonly uses 'van der Waals forces' or 'van der Waals' forces'.
Connotations
Identical technical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Used with identical frequency in relevant scientific contexts (chemistry, physics, materials science) in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subj] are dominated by van der Waals forces.The [Noun] is held together by van der Waals forces.[Subj] overcome(s) the weak van der Waals interactions.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Core term in chemistry, physics, materials science, and chemical engineering.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Fundamental concept for explaining adhesion, cohesion, surface tension, and properties of non-polar compounds.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The molecules are van der Waals-bonded to the surface.
- The interaction van der Waals-forces the layers together.
American English
- The material van der Waals-adheres to the substrate.
- Researchers observed the particles van der Waals-interact.
adverb
British English
- The layers bonded van der Waals-weakly.
- It interacts primarily van der Waals.
American English
- The attraction is purely van der Waals-driven.
- They are held together van der Waals-strongly.
adjective
British English
- The van der Waals interaction is significant.
- They studied the van der Waals radius.
American English
- The van der Waals attraction was measured.
- They calculated the van der Waals constant.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Some weak forces exist between molecules.
- Ink sticks to paper partly due to very weak intermolecular forces.
- Non-polar molecules are attracted to each other by weak, temporary forces.
- The gecko's ability to climb smooth surfaces is attributed to van der Waals forces between its foot hairs and the surface.
- Van der Waals forces, though weak individually, become significant over large molecular surfaces, influencing boiling points and adsorption.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine weak 'WALLS' between molecules, named after Van der Waals, that are easy to break.
Conceptual Metaphor
TEMPORARY MAGNETS: Molecules act like tiny, temporary magnets that briefly stick together.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate 'forces' as 'силы' in a military sense. The correct translation is 'силы Ван-дер-Ваальса' or 'ван-дер-ваальсовы силы'.
- The term is a fixed compound; avoid omitting 'van der Waals' and just saying 'forces'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect plural: 'van der Waals force' (should be plural 'forces').
- Misspelling: 'van der Walls', 'Vanderwaal'.
- Incorrect register: using it in non-scientific contexts.
Practice
Quiz
Van der Waals forces are best described as:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
London dispersion forces are one of the three main components of van der Waals forces (along with dipole-dipole and dipole-induced dipole interactions). In many contexts, especially for non-polar molecules, 'van der Waals forces' is used synonymously with 'London dispersion forces'.
They explain many physical properties of materials without strong permanent dipoles or ionic charges, such as why gases can liquefy, how geckos climb, and the behavior of colloids and thin films.
The term 'van der Waals forces' typically refers to the attractive component. However, the complete van der Waals interaction includes both a weak, long-range attraction and a strong, short-range repulsion (due to electron cloud overlap), often modeled by the Lennard-Jones potential.
It is a foundational concept in physical chemistry, molecular physics, materials science, nanotechnology, surface science, and biochemistry (e.g., protein folding, drug-receptor binding).