J. D. van der Waals

J. D. van der Waals was a physicist who developed a model to better understand real gases. Unlike ideal gases, which are simplified and assume molecules don't interact, van der Waals' model accounts for tiny attractions between molecules and their finite size. This helps explain how gases condense into liquids and behave under different pressures and temperatures. His work improved our understanding of molecular interactions and phase changes, making it a fundamental concept in physical chemistry and thermodynamics.