The van der Waal's equation for a real gas may be rearranged to give , where is the molar volume of — States of Matter and Gaseous State Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

The van der Waals equation is a cubic equation in $V_m$. Above the critical temperature ($T > T_c$), there is only one real root (gas phase) and two complex conjugate roots. Exactly at $T_c$, the three roots converge into a single identical real root ($V_c$). Below $T_c$, the equation mathematically yields three distinct real roots corresponding to the liquid volume, gas volume, and an unstable intermediate state. Therefore, correct answer is A,B,C.