Van der Waals radius

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van der Waals radii
Element radius (Å)
Hydrogen 1.2 (1.09)[1]
Carbon 1.7
Nitrogen 1.55
Oxygen 1.52
Fluorine 1.47
Phosphorus 1.8
Sulfur 1.8
Chlorine 1.75
Copper 1.4
Van der Waals radii taken frae
Bondi's compilation (1964).[2]
Values frae ither soorces mey
differ signeeficantly (see text)

The van der Waals radius, rw, o an atom is the radius o an eemaginary haurd sphere representin the distance o closest approach for anither atom. It is named efter Johannes Diderik van der Waals, winner o the 1910 Nobel Prize in Physics, as he wis the first tae recognise that atoms war nae simply pynts an tae demonstrate the physical consequences o thair size throu the van der Waals equation o state.

References[eedit | eedit soorce]

  1. Rowland RS, Taylor R (1996). "Intermolecular nonbonded contact distances in organic crystal structures: comparison with distances expected from van der Waals radii". J. Phys. Chem. 100 (18): 7384–7391. doi:10.1021/jp953141.
  2. Bondi, A. (1964). "Van der Waals Volumes and Radii". J. Phys. Chem. 68 (3): 441–51. doi:10.1021/j100785a001.