Why Does the Van Der Waals Equation Predict Lower Pressure Than Ideal Gas Law?

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SUMMARY

The Van Der Waals (VDW) equation predicts lower pressure than the Ideal Gas Law due to the presence of intermolecular forces and the finite volume of gas particles. Unlike ideal gases, VDW gases experience electrostatic interactions that hinder particle movement, resulting in reduced pressure measurements. This discrepancy highlights the limitations of the Ideal Gas Law in accurately describing real gas behavior under certain conditions.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the Ideal Gas Law
  • Familiarity with the Van Der Waals equation
  • Basic knowledge of intermolecular forces
  • Concept of particle volume in gases
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation and applications of the Van Der Waals equation
  • Explore the impact of temperature and pressure on gas behavior
  • Learn about other real gas equations, such as the Redlich-Kwong equation
  • Investigate the role of electrostatic interactions in gas dynamics
USEFUL FOR

Students and professionals in chemistry and physics, particularly those studying thermodynamics and gas behavior, will benefit from this discussion.

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Why does the Van Der Walls equation give a less value for pressure than the Ideal Gas equation does?
 
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The main point is a VDW model gas has electrostatic interactions between particles. Thus, the particles are not flowing as free as in an ideal model gas. Therefore the pressure is smaller than the pressure predicted by VDW.
 

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