Electrostatic and Magnetic Attractions

Yet another confusing adhesive influence is that of electricity and magnetism. Adhesion of bodies as a result of electrical charging was known to the Greeks. Rubbing glass or amber with cloth would make the material attract small 

The conclusion from this brief discussion is that molecular adhesion is caused by electromagnetic forces, but not the simple forces that operate in electric motors or between magnets. Those Coulombic forces can be either attractions or repulsions and obey Newton s inverse square law. By contrast, molecular adhesion is caused by London forces which are always attractive and which fall off extremely rapidly with separation. 

In other words, molecules are made up of both electrons and protons which balance their charges exactly to give zero Coulombic adhesion. But the slight separation of charges in the molecules gives overall attractive London adhesion. The sub-atomic particles themselves adhere in quite a different way as described below. 

---