van der Waals volume

Van der Waals volume refers to the space occupied by a molecule due to the size of its atoms and how close they can get to each other without overlapping. It represents the region around an atom where other atoms' electron clouds are kept at bay by their electronic repulsions. When considering entire molecules, van der Waals volume estimates the total space the molecule takes up, including the gaps between atoms caused by their electron clouds. This concept helps scientists understand molecular size, shape, and how molecules interact with each other in biological and chemical systems.