Final answer:
Things stick together or pull apart based on natural laws, which can be exemplified by static electricity attracting paper to a comb, or by the gravitational attraction we experience on Earth. Systems in the universe also follow these laws, tending towards disorder, as stated by the second law of thermodynamics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The patterns in how things stick together or pull apart can be explained by natural laws that have been observed and formalized over centuries. In physics, these patterns are not random or governed by magic; they are the result of forces that act in predictable ways. For example, when a student runs a comb through their hair and brings it close to small pieces of paper, the comb will attract the pieces of paper due to static electricity, which is a result of the transfer of electrons between the comb and the hair. This is an illustration of electromagnetic forces at work. Another example is the gravitational attraction that keeps our feet on the ground, an invisible force described by the law of universal gravitation."
Looking at larger systems, such as weather patterns or the movement of celestial bodies, these too follow predictable patterns governed by natural laws. Events in natural systems tend towards a state of equilibrium or increased disorder over time, as described by the second law of thermodynamics. This trend towards disorder or randomness is also observed in phenomena like rain falling in an unorganized manner or coins landing in various heads and tails combinations after being tossed. In summary, the universe's tendency towards disorder is a natural occurrence explained by physical principles and does not require any external intervention to take place.