Cluster chemistry, intermolecular dynamics

Simple two-body potentials have been designed empirically or using some basis of quantum chemistry. This approach is cheap and allows one to simulate the dynamics of clusters on a microsecond time scale. Potentials including n-body effects, polarizability effects and also three-body repulsion and dispersion, allow us, nowadays, to perform molecular dynamics simulation of clusters composed of 10 -10 molecules for hundreds or thousands of ps. The accuracy of the intermolecular and intramolecular potentials is the cornerstone of the success of this approach. 

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