Coalescence

Origin

Latin coalescere, from co- + alescere to grow

• 1656

Definitions

• 1: to grow together
• 2a : to unite into a whole : fuse <separate townships have coalesced into a single, sprawling colony — Donald Gould> b : to unite for a common end : join forces <people with different points of view coalesce into opposing factions — I. L. Horowitz>
• 3: to arise from the combination of distinct elements <an organized and a popular resistance immediately coalesced — C. C. Menges>

Description

Coalescence is the process by which two or more droplets, bubbles or particles merge during contact to form a single daughter droplet, bubble or particle. It can take place in many processes, ranging from meteorology to astrophysics. For example, it is seen in the formation of raindrops as well as planetary and star formation.