Van der Waals forces include attraction and repulsions between atoms, molecules, and surfaces, as well as other intermolecular forces.

Vanderwaals forces, also known as intermolecular forces, are the attractive forces between molecules. These forces play a crucial role in determining the physical properties of substances, such as boiling point, melting point, and solubility. They are named after Dutch scientist Johannes Diderik van der Waals, who first proposed their existence.

Intermolecular forces are different from intramolecular forces, which refer to the forces that hold atoms together within a molecule. Intramolecular forces include ionic bonds, covalent bonds, and metallic bonds. On the other hand, intermolecular forces exist between different molecules and are responsible for the interactions between them.

The types of intermolecular forces include:

1. London dispersion forces: These forces are present in all molecules, whether they are polar or nonpolar. They arise from temporary fluctuations in electron distribution, which result in temporary dipoles. These temporary dipoles induce dipoles in neighboring molecules, leading to an attractive force. London dispersion forces are the weakest intermolecular forces.

2. Dipole-dipole forces: These forces occur between polar molecules. Polar molecules have a permanent dipole moment due to the unequal distribution of electrons within the molecule. The positive end of one molecule is attracted to the negative end of another molecule, resulting in a dipole-dipole interaction. Dipole-dipole forces are stronger than London dispersion forces.

3. Hydrogen bonding: Hydrogen bonding is a special type of dipole-dipole force that occurs when hydrogen is bonded to a highly electronegative atom such as nitrogen, oxygen, or fluorine. The hydrogen atom in one molecule is attracted to the electronegative atom in another molecule, resulting in a highly polar interaction. Hydrogen bonding is the strongest intermolecular force and has a significant impact on the properties of substances.

Molecular forces or atomic forces are not the correct terms to describe Vanderwaals forces. While Vanderwaals forces do involve interactions between atoms within the molecules, they are specifically referring to the forces between different molecules. Therefore, option A, intermolecular forces, is the correct answer.