How does adhesion differ from cohesion?

In the context of chemistry and physics, the distinction between adhesion and cohesion lies in the nature of the substances involved in the molecular attraction.12

• Cohesion refers to the intermolecular attractive forces acting between molecules of the same substance. It is the force that holds a material together, such as the forces that cause water molecules to form drops.12
• Adhesion refers to the attractive forces acting between molecules of two dissimilar substances in contact. In the formation of an adhesive bond, this involves the ability of an adhesive to wet and spread across an adherend, creating intimate molecular contact.123

These forces originate primarily from electrical interactions, such as van der Waals forces. Whether a substance clings to a surface depends on the relative strength of these forces; for example, water will cling to glass because the adhesive force between the water and glass molecules is stronger than the cohesive force between the water molecules themselves.1