Atoms are secured to one another by ionic or covalent bonds. But there are also 3 forces that hold molecules to one another. As with atomic bonds, you can measure the strength of these relationships in energy terms, e.g. kcal/mol.
1. Pure electrostatic attraction, that attraction between between plus and minus ions. Most electrostatic forces can be broken with energy between 0.5 kcal/mol and 5.
Hydrogen bonds are an example of electrostatic attraction. Hydrogen "bonds" are the weakest of all, held together with only 1-2 kcal/mol, in water solutions.
2. Van der Waals forces are short range forces** that can even happen between neutral molecules. They contribute to the "stickiness among all things."
3. Other We won't deal with these here.
Of course, molecules can connect to one another when the atom of one makes a bond with an atom of the other, but in that case the result is simply a larger molecule!
**These are caused by the electrons being in certain places, making a "dipole" that then interacts with another atom, creating a dipole of it, that then is attracted or repelled.
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