London Dispersion Forces

London dispersion forces (LDF) are weak, short-ranged intermolecular forces that exist between all types of molecules. They are the only type of intermolecular force that acts between atoms with no permanent dipole moments. LDF are responsible for several physical phenomena such as the solubility of non-polar molecules in water and the surface tension of liquids. It also plays an important role in the stability of large molecules such as proteins by holding together their constituent atoms. LDF is an important concept for chemical scientists to understand in order to fully comprehend intermolecular interactions.