Dispersive and specific adsorption energies resulting from adsorption of alkanes and basic probes on silica gel (Fischer, lot 712393 60/200 mesh) were determined respectively by gas-solid chromatography and titration calorimetry. These adsorption energies are related to the interaction capacity of silica gel. Fitting the adsorption energies to Snyder-Karger and modified Drago interaction models, the interaction capacity can be quantified by four interaction capacity parameters, i.e., the two Hansen partial cohesion parameters (MPa(1/2)) delta(d,s) (dispersive) = 18.60 +/- 0.42 and delta(p,s) (polar) = 5.01 +/- 6.16, and the two Drago parameters (kJ(1/2) mol(-1)) Es (electrostatic) = 7.73 +/- 2.63, and C-s (covalent) = 2.53 +/- 0.18, with C/E = 0.33. These values are in very good agreement with the currently used scale. The adsorption energies, calculated in return, compare well with the experimentally determined values and give at the same time different components (dispersive, polar, and hydrogen bonding) of the total interaction energies.