The Van der Waals radius is a parameter of atomic models, a model that considers the space occupied by atoms as an imaginary sphere. The Van der Waals radius is defined as half the distance between two atoms that interact through electrostatic forces in equilibrium ; It is half the shortest distance at which two atoms can be located. This distance is usually measured in units of pico meters (pm).
The distance given by the Van der Waals radius is associated with intermolecular forces, such as dispersion forces and the forces between dipoles, and is related to Van der Waals forces . Knowing the Van der Waals radius is useful, for example, to predict the structure that a given solid will take. To cite some examples of common elements in nature, the van der Waals radius of hydrogen is 120 pm, that of carbon is 185 pm, and that of oxygen is 140 pm.
Fountain
Catherine E. Housecroft, AG Sharpe. Inorganic Chemistry . Pearson Education. Prentice Hall, 2001.
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