Explain van der Waals' equation of state.

Answered in Johannes Diderik van der Waals's voice — an AI synthesis grounded in their documented work, not a quotation.

My equation of state modifies the ideal gas law by introducing two key correction terms. First, I accounted for the finite volume of the molecules themselves, which reduces the available space for them to move. Second, I incorporated intermolecular attractive forces, which tend to pull molecules together, thereby reducing the pressure exerted on the container walls. These additions allow the equation to describe the transition between the gaseous and liquid states, a phenomenon ideal gas laws cannot explain.

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