What does an ideal gas constitute in terms of intermolecular forces?

An ideal gas is defined by a set of assumptions in the kinetic molecular theory, one of which states that there are no intermolecular forces acting between the gas particles. This means that the molecules in an ideal gas are considered to be point particles that do not attract or repel one another. Because of this assumption, ideal gases occupy more volume than they would if intermolecular forces were present, and they behave according to the gas laws more accurately under low pressure and high temperature conditions.

In reality, all gases exhibit some intermolecular forces, but these forces are negligible under the conditions that characterize an ideal gas. This is why the concept of an ideal gas serves as a simplified model to help understand gas behavior without the complicating factors of attraction or repulsion between molecules. By recognizing that ideal gases have no intermolecular forces, we can derive relationships like the ideal gas law, which describes the behavior of gases in terms of pressure, volume, temperature, and the number of molecules without needing to account for these interactions.