Question

What is the difference b/w Covalent Radius and Van Der Waal's Radius ?

Answer 1

covalent radius is half of the inter nuclear separation between the nuclei of two single bonded atom of same species. while van der waals radius is used to define half of the distance between the closest approach of two non bonded atoms of a given element

Answer 2

Answer:

Covalent Radii

• One half of the distance between the nuclei of two covalently bonded atoms of the same element in a molecule, is taken as the covalent radius of the atom of that element.

• The covalent bond  distance is measured by  X-ray  diffraction or spectroscopic studies.

Van der Waals Radii

• Van der Waals radius is defined as half of the internuclear separation of two non-bonded atoms of the same element on their closest possible approach.
• Atoms must be (1) non-bonded, (2) the same element, and (3) not form different regions of same molecule.