Van der Waals forces are weak, short-range attractive forces that occur between neutral atoms and molecules. These forces arise from fluctuations in the electron distribution within molecules, leading to temporary or "induced" dipoles. There are three main types of van der Waals forces:
1. London dispersion forces: These forces are the weakest type of van der Waals forces and occur between all atoms and molecules. They are caused by temporary fluctuations in electron distribution that result in the formation of temporary dipoles.
2. Dipole-dipole interactions: These interactions occur between polar molecules with permanent dipoles. The positive end of one molecule is attracted to the negative end of another molecule.
3. Hydrogen bonding: This is a specific type of dipole-dipole interaction that occurs between hydrogen atoms bonded to highly electronegative atoms (such as oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine). It is stronger than other types of van der Waals forces.
What are van der Wall's Forces?
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