Every definition I see of Van der Waals interactions claim that they are short-range, nonspecific interactions between two chemical species. What does "nonspecific" mean in this context?
Answer
The definition of the van der Waals force that I like (and apparently so too do the folks who have contributed to the Wikipedia article on the topic) is much more *specific about what is and is not a van der Waals force. This definition originates in the International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry Compendium of Chemical Terminology
The van der Waals force is the sum of the attractive or repulsive forces between molecules (or between parts of the same molecule) other than those due to covalent bonds, the hydrogen bonds, or the electrostatic interaction of ions with one another or with neutral molecules or charged molecules.
Thus, a van der Waals force is a catch-all term to include all other very weak interactions between atoms and molecules:
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