What makes atoms cohere to each other to form matter?

[maxjon77]

Now I know that strong force holds the neutrons and protons together in the nucleus, electromagnetic force keeps the electrons in orbit around the nucleus, and how ionic and covalent bonding work, but what holds the atoms of, for example, my body together. I’ve looked on several websites and the best thing I could find was the google definition of cohesion.

 

[Sensei]

Among strong force, weak force, electrostatic force and electromagnetic force.. there are also ion-ion interactions, and so called Van der Waals forces e.g. dipole-dipole, dipole-induced-dipole, induced-dipole-induced-dipole, etc. etc.

e.g. they keep together piece of water (polar solvent).

 

Intermolecular force

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermolecular_force

 

[Strange]

1 hour ago, maxjon77 said:

how ionic and covalent bonding work, but what holds the atoms of, for example, my body together.

You have answered your own question! It is those bonds that make things stick together.

Plus, in some cases, the other interactions that Sensei mentions. But I think they are usually quite weak.

[Dr_ir0nside]

2 hours ago, maxjon77 said:

Now I know that strong force holds the neutrons and protons together in the nucleus, electromagnetic force keeps the electrons in orbit around the nucleus, and how ionic and covalent bonding work, but what holds the atoms of, for example, my body together. I’ve looked on several websites and the best thing I could find was the google definition of cohesion.

 

It is strange to think that the majority of the human body is just blank space! Proteins are the main source of our make up, on a molecular level these have covalent bonds but as you build this up into 3-dimensions you have hydrogen bonding and other intermolecular forces which guide the shape of the 3D space within cells and enzymes. As a doctor in materials chemistry I like to visualise that many parts of our bodies are individual components with their own bonds but may not always be bonded with eachother. They can also be physically trapped and also guided in the space by chemical gradients.

[studiot]

2 hours ago, maxjon77 said:

Now I know that strong force holds the neutrons and protons together in the nucleus, electromagnetic force keeps the electrons in orbit around the nucleus, and how ionic and covalent bonding work, but what holds the atoms of, for example, my body together. I’ve looked on several websites and the best thing I could find was the google definition of cohesion.

 

Well yes, we know of four 'fundamental forces' in the Universe.
All have different effects at different ranges or over different distances.

Strong nuclear, weak nuclear, gravity and electromagnetic.

For the first two the clue is in the name 'nuclear'.
They are active within atoms or between sub atomic particles.
So they do not answer your question here.
They are basically too short range.

That leaves gravity and the electromagnetic force.

At ranges close enough to consider bonding of atoms to form molecules the elctromagnetic force outweighs gravity many times over.
The electromagnetic force is entirely responsible for bonding atoms to form molecules.
However it does this in conjunction with motion of charged particles, which can be very complicated.
Ionic and covalent bonding is the result of the electrostatic part of the EM force

The theory you are looking for is called the Lennard Jones potential

https://www.google.co.uk/search?source=hp&ei=v9FrXMShJIneavuTofgC&q=lennard+jones+forces&btnK=Google+Search&oq=lennard+jones+forces&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0j0i22i30l5j0i22i10i30.820.12012..12582...0.0..0.108.1936.28j1......0....1..gws-wiz.....0..0i131j0i10.2W3nAzSDPBE

Which leads to Lennard Jones forces.

 

At greater ranges gravity also plays a part, for instance it stops our atmosphere flying away.

 

Does this help?

[Dr_ir0nside]

On 2/19/2019 at 10:24 AM, studiot said:

Well yes, we know of four 'fundamental forces' in the Universe.
All have different effects at different ranges or over different distances.

Strong nuclear, weak nuclear, gravity and electromagnetic.

For the first two the clue is in the name 'nuclear'.
They are active within atoms or between sub atomic particles.
So they do not answer your question here.
They are basically too short range.

That leaves gravity and the electromagnetic force.

At ranges close enough to consider bonding of atoms to form molecules the elctromagnetic force outweighs gravity many times over.
The electromagnetic force is entirely responsible for bonding atoms to form molecules.
However it does this in conjunction with motion of charged particles, which can be very complicated.
Ionic and covalent bonding is the result of the electrostatic part of the EM force

The theory you are looking for is called the Lennard Jones potential

https://www.google.co.uk/search?source=hp&ei=v9FrXMShJIneavuTofgC&q=lennard+jones+forces&btnK=Google+Search&oq=lennard+jones+forces&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0j0i22i30l5j0i22i10i30.820.12012..12582...0.0..0.108.1936.28j1......0....1..gws-wiz.....0..0i131j0i10.2W3nAzSDPBE

Which leads to Lennard Jones forces.

 

At greater ranges gravity also plays a part, for instance it stops our atmosphere flying away.

 

Does this help?

Studiot, it is great to see how we each understood the OP's question and responded with vastly different ideas . Great insight.

[studiot]

2 hours ago, Dr_ir0nside said:

Studiot, it is great to see how we each understood the OP's question and responded with vastly different ideas . Great insight.

Thanks.

[MigL]

The 'strong' nuclear force that binds neutrons and protons inside the nucleus is actually a 'spill-over' effect of the color force that binds quarks into neutrons/protons.
Similarly, interatomic and intermolecular forces are a 'spill-over' effect of the EM force that binds electrons to the nucleus' protons.
We have differing names for these forces, but they are still Elecromagnetic.
It is simply an effect of how the charges are distributed.