Final answer:
The van der Waals equation of state is a modification of the ideal gas law that considers the volume of gas molecules and intermolecular attractions. It was developed by Johannes van der Waals to better describe real gases.
Step-by-step explanation:
The van der Waals equation of state is a modification of the ideal gas law that takes into account the volume of gas molecules and intermolecular attractions.
It was developed by the Dutch physicist Johannes van der Waals to better describe the behavior of real gases. The equation includes two terms: one to account for the molecular volume, represented by the coefficient b, and another to account for intermolecular attractions, represented by the coefficient a.