Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids
Published on: December 4, 2017
First-principles theory of van der Waals forces between macroscopic bodies
Vassilios Yannopapas1, Nikolay V Vitanov
1Department of Materials Science, University of Patras, GR-26504 Patras, Greece. vyannop@upatras.gr
Abstract:
We present a first-principles method for the determination of the van der Waals interactions for a collection of finite-sized macroscopic bodies. The method is based on fluctuational electrodynamics and a rigorous multiple-scattering method for the electromagnetic field. As such, the method takes fully into account retardation, many-body, multipolar, and near-fields effects. By application of the method to the case of two metallic nanoparticles, we demonstrate the breakdown of the standard 1/r(2) distance law as the van der Waals force decays exponentially with distance when the nanoparticles are too close or too far apart.
Related Concept Videos
Van der Waals Interactions
The Van der Waals Equation
Real Gases: Effects of Intermolecular Forces and Molecular Volume Deriving Van der Waals Equation
Van der Waals Equation
First, the attractive forces between molecules, which are stronger at higher densities and reduce the pressure, are considered by adding to the pressure a term equal to the square of the molar density multiplied by a positive coefficient a. Second, the volume...
Intermolecular Forces and Physical Properties
Intermolecular Forces
