Question

The term that corrects for the attractive forces present in a real gas in the van der Waals' equation is

• A. $nb$
• B. $n^2 a/V^2$
• C. $-(n^2 a/V^2)$
• D. $-nb$

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

$n^2 a/V^2$

Answer 2

In the van der Waals' equation
$\, \, \, \, \, \, \, \, \, \, \, \, \, \Bigg(p+\frac{n^ a}{V^2}\Bigg)(V-nb)=nRT$
The additional factor in pressure, i.e. $\frac{n^ a}{V^2}$ corrects for intennolccular force while b corrects for molecular volume.