Van der Waals derived an expression for the 'pressure defect', if the observed pressure is denoted as 'p' and volume is denoted as 'V', the gas pressure in the bulk of the gas is equal to:
A)p + a/V; where a: constant for the particular gas
B)p + a/(V²); where a: constant for the particular gas
C)p + (a × V); where a: constant for the particular gas
D)p + (a × V²); where a: constant for the particular gas

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Van der Waals equation accounts for the finite size of molecules and the attraction between them. The term a/(V²) corrects for the intermolecular forces, and when added to the observed pressure p, it gives the pressure in the bulk of the gas, accounting for the pressure defect due to these forces.

Van Der Waals Derived an Expression for the 'Pressure Defect