How does chemical energy relate to the atom and how can we use it?

Chemical energy is the energy that bonds atoms are ions together. This energy is released when the chemical bonds are released. Atoms or ions bond together to form molecules or compounds. Breaking the bonds of these molecules release energy. The food we eat contains chemical energy. When oxygen is combined to sugars in food via the process of respiration, the bonds in the sugar molecules are broken and the energy that is released is used to carry out bodily functions. 

Vander waals forces are inter molecular bonds that exist within molecules of the same substance. a water molecule is made up of oxygen and hydrogen atoms which share electrons between each other. the vander waals forces are forces that exist between multitude of different  molecules of water. dipole dipole forces is the type of vander waals force that exist in water. the oxygen atom which is more electronegative pulls the shared electron closer to itself thus generating a partial negative charge while the hydrogen acquire a partial positive charge. these two different charges causes attraction to occur in water molecules.