Editing Adhesion (section)

{{Short description|Molecular property}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Continuum mechanics}}
[[File:Spider web Luc Viatour.jpg|thumb|[[Dew]] drops adhering to a [[spider web]]]]
[[File:Sticking-under-Wet-Conditions-The-Remarkable-Attachment-Abilities-of-the-Torrent-Frog-Staurois-pone.0073810.s004.ogv|thumb|thumbtime=7|Adhesion of a frog on a wet vertical glass surface.]]
[[File:Lucas-test-1-propanol-2-propanol-2-metyl-2-propanol.jpg|thumb|Concave [[meniscus (liquid)|meniscus]] is caused due to adhesion.]]
[[File:Homeopathic pill.jpg|thumb|]]

{{Quote box
| title = [[IUPAC]] definition
| quote = Process of attachment of a substance to the surface of another substance.

''Note 1'': Adhesion requires energy that can come from chemical and/or physical<br/>linkages, the latter being reversible when enough energy is applied.

''Note 2'': In biology, adhesion reflects the behavior of cells shortly after contact<br/>to the surface.

''Note 3'': In surgery, adhesion is used when two tissues fuse unexpectedly.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Terminology for biorelated polymers and applications (IUPAC Recommendations 2012)|journal=[[Pure and Applied Chemistry]]|year=2012|volume=84|issue=2|pages=377–410|doi=10.1351/PAC-REC-10-12-04|url=http://pac.iupac.org/publications/pac/pdf/2012/pdf/8402x0377.pdf|last1=Vert|first1=Michel|last2=Doi|first2=Yoshiharu|last3=Hellwich|first3=Karl-Heinz|last4=Hess|first4=Michael|last5=Hodge|first5=Philip|last6=Kubisa|first6=Przemyslaw|last7=Rinaudo|first7=Marguerite|last8=Schué|first8=François|s2cid=98107080 |access-date=2013-07-16|archive-date=2015-03-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319032817/http://pac.iupac.org/publications/pac/pdf/2012/pdf/8402x0377.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

'''Adhesion''' is the tendency of dissimilar [[particle]]s or [[interface (matter)|surface]]s to cling to one another. ([[Cohesion (chemistry)|Cohesion]] refers to the tendency of similar or identical particles and surfaces to cling to one another.)

The [[force]]s that cause adhesion and cohesion can be divided into several types. The [[intermolecular force]]s responsible for the function of various kinds of stickers and sticky tape fall into the categories of [[chemical adhesion]], [[dispersive adhesion]], and [[diffusive adhesion]]. In addition to the cumulative magnitudes of these intermolecular forces, there are also certain emergent mechanical effects.