The 'a' constant is for the attraction between molecules, like students quietening down when I enter; it reduces the pressure. The 'b' constant is for the volume the molecules themselves take up, like how my mother, our cat, and I all need our own little space in our small flat. It's not just empty container space they can move in.
Teaching it every year, I remember it by my crowded home and my quiet classroom—both have their own constant realities.
#exams#study
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