Explain how van der walls or London dispersion force works
Van der Waals forces, also known as London dispersion forces, are weak attractive forces that exist between molecules. These forces occur due to temporary fluctuations in the electron distribution around atoms or molecules, creating temporary dipoles.
When two molecules come close to each other, the temporary dipoles in one molecule can induce a complementary dipole in the other molecule. This results in a weak attraction between the two molecules, known as a London dispersion force.
The strength of van der Waals forces depends on the size and shape of molecules, as well as the electron cloud distribution. Larger molecules with more electrons are more polarizable, meaning they are more likely to experience temporary dipoles and therefore have stronger van der Waals forces.
Overall, van der Waals forces are relatively weak compared to other intermolecular forces such as hydrogen bonding or dipole-dipole interactions. However, they play a crucial role in determining the physical properties of substances such as boiling point, melting point, and viscosity.