What are van der Waals forces?

Van der Waals forces are weak intermolecular forces that occur between non-polar molecules. These forces result from temporary fluctuations in electron distribution within the molecules, leading to slight positive and negative charges. This results in weak attraction between molecules through van der Waals forces. Hydrogen bonds, in contrast, are stronger intermolecular forces that specifically occur between molecules containing hydrogen bonded to a highly electronegative atom like oxygen or nitrogen. Conjugal bonds do not exist in chemistry and are not relevant to intermolecular forces.