What term describes the tendency of a material to hold itself?

Cohesion refers to the attractive force between like molecules within a substance, which allows the material to hold itself together. This property is essential in understanding various characteristics of materials, such as their strength and stability. For example, water molecules exhibit high cohesion, which is evident in phenomena like surface tension.

In contrast, adhesion refers to the attraction between different substances or materials. Friction is the resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another, and elasticity describes a material's ability to return to its original shape after being deformed. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for applying knowledge about material behaviors in practical situations, especially in fields related to construction and safety, including those involving asbestos.