The forces that hold tape in place involve much weaker bonds than those in glue. On one side of the tape are pressure-sensitive adhesives. “Squeezing them against a surface doesn’t create very strong bonds, but rather a large number of weak bonds that cumulatively result in a good adhesion. Tape also stays stuck because of viscoelasticity. When we press tape against a wall, we force the sticky substance to flow and adapt to the microscopic corrugation of the wall surface. After you stop pressing, the tape resists flow and stays in place.
