In the history of physics, J D van der Waals pioneered studies on the fundamental properties of the gas-liquid system, establishing the first equation of state which describes not only gases and liquids but also phase transition and critical phenomena.

• 在物理学发展史上 ；范德瓦耳斯对气 -液流体系统做了开创性的研究工作 ；建立了人类历史上第一个既能反映气、液各相性质 ；又能描述相变和临界现象的状态方程 .