Cohesion

the attraction or force by which the various particles of the same material cling together. The attraction between paint and wood is adhesion. The attraction between the particles of a copper wire is cohesion. If wires of the same size be tested for their strength of cohesion, that is to say, for their breaking strength, the relative results are about as follows: Gold, 15; silver, 19; platinum, 26; copper, 30; soft iron, 36; steel, 56. Heat diminishes attraction of cohesion. Liquids have less cohesion than solids. If a substance be heated sufficiently, attraction of cohesion may be entirely overcome and repulsion set up, that is to say, the substance may be converted into a gas. See Glue