What effect do intermolecular forces have on real gases?

Intermolecular forces have a significant impact on the behavior of real gases, particularly by affecting the pressure and volume of the gas. In an ideal gas, it is assumed that there are no intermolecular forces acting between the gas molecules, and the molecules occupy no volume themselves. However, real gases experience attractive and repulsive forces, which can alter their behavior under varying conditions.

When intermolecular forces are taken into account, they can lead to deviations from ideal gas behavior. For instance, attractive forces between gas molecules can reduce the pressure exerted by the gas on the walls of its container because some energy is used to overcome these attractive forces. This means that for a real gas in a confined space, the observed pressure may be lower than what would be predicted by the ideal gas law. Conversely, at high pressures or lower volumes, repulsive forces can become more significant, causing the gas to occupy more space than expected.

Understanding the role of intermolecular forces is crucial when analyzing real gases, especially under conditions of high pressure or low temperature, where these forces have a pronounced effect on the physical properties of the gas.