Cohesive Forces

Definition

Cohesive forces are the intermolecular forces which cause a tendency in liquids to resist separation. These attractive forces exist between similar or identical particles.

Related terms

Hydrogen Bonding: This is a special type of dipole-dipole attraction between molecules, where a hydrogen atom bonded to a highly electronegative atom is attracted to another electronegative atom in another molecule.

Van der Waals Forces: These are distance-dependent interactions between atoms or molecules that are not bonded together.

Dipole-Dipole Interaction: This is an attractive force that results from the interaction of polar molecules, which have regions of positive and negative charge.