van der Waals equation

noun

: an equation that defines the physical state of a homogeneous gas, is a modification of the ideal-gas equation, and more nearly describes the properties of actual gases: (p + (a/v²)) (v−b)=RT where p is the pressure, v the specific volume, R the gas constant, T the absolute temperature, and a and b are constants depending respectively on the cohesion between the molecules and the volume occupied by the molecules compare gas law sense c

Word History

Etymology

after Johannes D. van der Waals †1923 Dutch physicist

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