Van der Waals surface area (abbreviated variously as vdWSA, VSA, WSA), also van der Waals surface or van der Waals envelope (after Johannes Diderik van der Waals) is the imaginary surface of the union of spherical atom surfaces defined by the so-called van der Waals radius of each atom in the molecule representation. The van der Waals surface enclosed volume reference is molecular volume.
Both van der Waals surface and molecular volume are abstract representation of molecules, rather than "real" surfaces and volumes of molecules.
CPK models of molecules may actually picture the van der Waals surfaces, if based on van der Waals radii.
Read more about Van Der Waals Surface: Further Reading
Famous quotes containing the words van, der and/or surface:
“An indirect quotation we can usually expect to rate only as better or worse, more or less faithful, and we cannot even hope for a strict standard of more and less; what is involved is evaluation, relative to special purposes, of an essentially dramatic act.”
—Willard Van Orman Quine (b. 1908)
“Under the lindens on the heather,
There was our double resting-place.”
—Walther Von Der Vogelweide (1170?–1230?)
“A lifeless planet. And yet, yet still serving a useful purpose, I hope. Yes, a sun. Warming the surface of some other world. Giving light to those who may need it.”
—Franklin Coen, and Joseph Newman. Exeter (Jeff Morrow)