Eli5: What makes things “sticky” like tape or any kind of adhesive? How do they stick on to smooth surfaces instead of coming off?

Question

Eli5: What makes things “sticky” like tape or any kind of adhesive? How do they stick on to smooth surfaces instead of coming off?

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

Everything sticks to everything else when they are close together because of electrical charges in atoms. “Sticky” materials are soft enough to get really close together when you push on them.