What are Van der Waals forces?

Van der Waals forces are a category of intermolecular forces, including London dispersion forces and dipole-dipole interactions. The term is often used to refer to London dispersion forces. London dispersion forces, the weakest of all intermolecular attractions, are present in all molecules, whether they're polar or nonpolar. These forces arise from the momentary fluctuations of electron distribution in atoms and molecules, which create temporary dipoles. These temporary dipoles induce a dipole in the neighbouring atom or molecule, causing an attraction between the two. The strength of London dispersion forces increases with the size and shape of the molecule, and they play a significant role in the properties of gases and the solubility of nonpolar substances in nonpolar solvents.