How Do Atoms Stick Together?

In order for them to stick together, they have to give up some of their energy. Sticking together means that they're bound together. They're like together in a potential well. Think about an analogy in terms of orbit because gravitational binding energy works the same way. The ones they smashed into each other, that kinetic energy has to go somewhere and that's basically the energy that powers the suns when these things collide.